This study by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Kaiser Family Foundation documents the attitudes of doctors and the public about medical errors and their or their families’ experiences with medical errors in the course of receiving medical care. The surveys also compare physician and public perspectives on the extent of the problem and their views on the effectiveness of proposed solutions.

The study’s findings are featured in The New England Journal of Medicine December 12, 2002 edition.

• News Release: 4 in 10 of Public, More than One-Third of Physicians Say They Have Personally Experienced Medical Errors
• Chartpack
• Toplines
• The New England Journal of Medicine article

The Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation examines how members of the Hispanic community identify themselves, their views of the United States, their experiences with discrimination both within the Latino community itself and from non-Latino groups, their language abilities and preferences, their economic and financial situations and their experiences within the health care system.

• Summary of Findings
• Toplines

This report presents findings from a study of large private-sector employers conducted by researchers at Hewitt Associates and the Kaiser Family Foundation between July and September of 2002. The study is based on survey responses of 435 large private-sector firms (1,000+ employees) that currently offer retiree health benefits, and includes 36% of all Fortune 100 companies and 28% of all Fortune 500 companies. Information was collected on a variety of topics including costs, premiums, retiree contributions, benefit design, prescription drug benefits, recent changes and expected changes within next three years, and the implications of a Medicare drug benefit for employers.

• News Release
• Report
• Chart Pack
• Webcast

The Current State of Retiree Health Benefits: Findings from the Kaiser/Hewitt 2002 Retiree Health Survey

This report presents findings from a study of large private-sector employers conducted by researchers at Hewitt Associates and the Kaiser Family Foundation between July and September of 2002. The study is based on survey responses of 435 large private-sector firms (1,000+ employees) that currently offer retiree health benefits, and includes 36% of all Fortune 100 companies and 28% of all Fortune 500 companies. Information was collected on a variety of topics including costs, premiums, retiree contributions, benefit design, prescription drug benefits, recent changes and expected changes within next three years, and the implications of a Medicare drug benefit for employers.

• The Current State of Retiree Health Benefits: Findings from the Kaiser/Hewitt 2002 Retiree Health Survey

See more recent retiree health benefits surveys.

The third in a series of fact sheets on topics related to children, media and health pulls together the key facts on the amount of time young people spend online; their favorite online activities; how and where young people access the web; and how use varies by age, gender and ethnicity.

• Key Facts:
• Key Facts: Children and Video Games

• Issue Brief

HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have had a disparate impact across the country, with some regions being harder hit than others. The southern region of the U.S., which includes 16 states and the District of Columbia, has been disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS and STD epidemics. This fact sheet provides an epidemiological overview of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the southern region of the United States.

Rating Sex and Violence in the Media: Media Ratings and Proposals for Reform

The second release in a series of fact sheets and issue briefs on key topics in the field of children, media and health. The Media Ratings issue brief provides an overview of parental advisory ratings for movies, television, music and video games, as well as proposals to reform those rating systems.

Issue Brief: Rating Sex and Violence in the Media: Media Ratings and Proposals for Reform (pdf)

New Data Source on Hospital Use by California’s Medi-Cal Enrollees

A project sponsored by The Kaiser Family Foundation has resulted in a new source of data that will enhance research on the Medi-Cal program, including the impact of Medi-Cal managed care. The project linked 2 datasets: the Patient Discharge Dataset containing hospital discharge information maintained by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), and a Medi-Cal dataset containing eligibility and health plan information maintained by the California Department of Health Services (DHS). Data from these linked datasets are available for all Medi-Cal hospital discharges from 1994 through 2000.

Two research files were developed from this project a Non-identifiable Research File (NRF) and a Special Research File (SRF):

• The NRF contains patient demographic information (e.g., gender, county of residence, zip code, age, race), a record identifier, treatment data, and Medi-Cal eligibility information (e.g., eligibility status, coverage, health plan). To obtain this data, a review committee from OSHPD must first approve the release of this information and justification for specific data elements. The NRF can be obtained from the Healthcare Information Resource Center of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Questions should be directed to Mary MacDonald at (916) 322-2814 or mmacdona@oshpd.state.ca.us.
• The SRF includes the same variables as the NRF, but also includes more sensitive information such as dates and other identifiers. To obtain data from the SRF, review committees in both OSHPD and DHS must first approve a project protocol and justification. The SRF can be obtained from the Medical Care Statistics Section of the Department of Health Services. Questions should be directed to Carolyn Tagupa at (916) 651-6601 or ctagupa@dhs.ca.gov.

A broad and informative bimonthly report, the new Kaiser Health Poll Report provides key tracking information, including historical trends and in-depth analysis of public opinion about hot health care topics.

The current Featured Topic contains additional trends in public knowledge and attention to news about seniors and prescription drugs, as well as public opinion about who should be covered by a Medicare prescription drug benefit and what constitutes a good plan.

• Report
• Topline & Methodology