Meaningful Use and Telemedicine
As the healthcare reform debate continues, one thing is clear; there is still a long road ahead to educate patients, policy makers, and healthcare providers on the true benefits and advantages of telemedicine. As healthcare budgets tighten, promising advances in technology are bringing telehealth and telemedicine initiatives to light. For healthcare providers and physicians who want to learn more about telemedicine and how it complies with 'meaningful use' required by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Rubbermaid Telemedicine put together a white paper. It demonstrates some of the common points between telemedicine and electronic medical records, and helps to improve patient access to care. To view the full paper, click here.
New CDC NCHS Oral Health Data Released
The CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) released a comprehensive report on the oral health of adults, Oral Health Status and Access to Oral Health Care for U.S. Adults Aged 18-64 Years: National Health Interview Survey, 2008. The report was developed in response to the Surgeon General’s request for improved information on this issue and includes data on the status of the U.S. population’s oral health and the ability to access oral health care. These data include adult self-assessments of the condition of their mouth and teeth (the data are not based on examinations). To view the full report, click here.
New CDC Report on Alcohol Use and Binge Drinking among Women of Childbearing Age
CDC recently published findings in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report, Alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age – United States, 2006-2010, describes findings from the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) examining any alcohol use and binge drinking among pregnant and nonpregnant women of childbearing age (18-44 years) in the United States from 2006 to 2010. The main findings from these data analyses are: 7.6 percent of pregnant women (or 1 in 13) and 51.5 percent of nonpregnant women (or 1 in 2) reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days; among pregnant women, the highest estimates of reported alcohol use were among those who were: aged 35-44 years (14.3 percent), White (8.3 percent), college graduates (10.0 percent), and employed (9.6 percent); and 1.4 percent of pregnant women (or 1 in 71) and 15.0 percent of nonpregnant women (or 1 in 7) reported binge drinking in the past 30 days. To read the full report, click here.
Adolescent Health
New Publication on Teens and Social Media
Social Media, Social Life: How Teens View Their Digital Lives, uses information gathered from a national survey of teens aged 13-17 who report on their use of texting and social media. They also report on how use of social media affects the ways they feel about themselves and their relationships with family and friends. To view the full report, click here.
A Pregnancy Test for Schools: The Impact of Education Laws on Pregnant and Parenting Students
A Pregnancy Test for Schools outlines the ways that federal, state, and local laws, policies, and programs can change the landscape for pregnant and parenting students and ranks how well the state laws and policies address the needs of these students. The report describes the particular challenges faced by pregnant and parenting students, highlights the requirements of federal laws, reviews relevant state laws and policies (some promising and others sorely lacking), and concludes with recommendations for both policymakers and for schools. To view the full document, click here.
Children’s Health
New Publication Available on Supportive School Discipline
Recent studies by the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights have presented some alarming findings on suspension and expulsion rates in schools. These findings show evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in students being suspended and expelled, as well as disparities for those with mental health or behavioral health issues. The studies illustrate the short- and long-term costs of schools’ increased reliance on suspension and expulsion, rising rates of academic failure and dropout, escalating behavioral problems, and increased risk of violence and substance abuse. The National Center recently published, Supportive School Discipline: A Snapshot from Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiatives, which provides examples of strategies safe school/health student grantees have used to effectively implement evidence-based positive discipline programs. To view the full publication, click here.
Linking Medical Home and Children’s Mental Health: Listening to Massachusetts Families
While families whose children have mental health needs face many barriers to care, the medical home model holds great promise for addressing some of those needs. Parent/Professional Advocacy League, in collaboration with the Central Mass Medical Home Network Initiative, surveyed 171 families to better understand their experiences. In Linking Medical Home and Children’s Mental Health: Listening to Massachusetts Families, parents overwhelmingly reported that they had the primary responsibility both for communication and coordination of their child’s care. Most had to find specialty mental health services on their own and large numbers reported that they were unwilling to share information with their child’s school. To view the full report, click here.