United states government health programs for children.
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This report describes the food commodities that are used in U.S. emergency food aid programs and outlines issues in their distribution, selection and formulation that may limit their ability to meet the nutrition needs of recipients. Issues are being raised at this time because the U.S. Congress plans to renew the authorizing legislation by the end of 2002. The author summarizes quantity and quality problems with food aid contributions and the difficulties experienced with the coordination of food aid with related needs of disaster victims. He identifies the foods supplied for emergency feeding by the U.S. Government and the World Food Program, and describes the limited applications of nutrition science to the formulation of the processed foods provided through U.S. food programs. The core of the report outlines the dominant nonnutritional priorities, stemming from the linkages to U.S. agricultural supply markets, U.S. commercial food interests, food aid pledging customs and difficulties in U.S. Government humanitarian response coordination. The presentation concludes with a review of issues, emphasizing the need for further studies, and some suggestions for shaping future food aid programs and policy with a strengthened capacity for protecting and promoting the nutritional status of disaster victims.
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A government based international co-operative project for family planning was formulated between Japan and Colombia. A baseline survey was carried out at the project site in northern Colombia as a pre-project evaluation. A total of 330 households were sampled and the housewives were interviewed concerning family planning. Births averted by the existing government program were estimated employing Bongaarts prevalence model. In addition, background and conditions leading to inability to receive family planning services were analyzed. The results showed that of total births averted, government programs contributed around 50% reflecting the apparent insufficiency of the services in reaching women in their forties and teens. Educational attainment and place of birth on the part of the woman, household income, discussion of number of children desired between husband and wife were among the most important factors for women wishing contraception practice but not being able to receive family planning services. Based on this analysis, a service program was mapped out to meet the need of residents of the project site.
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Regulation of indoor Rn is explored in the context of cost-effectiveness of regulatory action. Evaluation of cost (i.e., mitigation expenses) and benefits (i.e., savings associated with medical expenses and lost productivity related to lung cancer) at various action levels indicate that regulatory programs would be economically inefficient and unreasonable if standards were established at or below the current EPA action guide (150 Bq m-3 or less). For the approximately 95% of U.S. homes with Rn levels near or below 150 Bq m-3, government programs should continue to focus on public information and consumer protection. For the small number of homes with high Rn levels, government programs should focus on identifying high risk homes and encouraging homeowners to reduce Rn levels. Because of the potential for substantial risk reduction, such efforts would be cost-effective in these homes.
PURPOSE: This study evaluated whether governmental medical payments in Quebec were affected by the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique. DESIGN: This retrospective study used a pre- and postintervention design in which government payments for physicians' services were reviewed for 3 years before and up to 7 years after subjects started the technique. Payment data were adjusted for aging and year-specific variation (including inflation) using normative data. No separate control group was used; thus it is impossible to determine whether the changes were caused by the TM program or some other factor. SUBJECTS: A volunteer group of 677 provincial health insurance enrollees was evaluated. The subjects had chosen to practice the TM technique before they were selected to enter the study. The subjects (348 men, 329 women) had diverse occupations. Their average age was 38 years and ranged from 18 to 71 years at the start of the TM program. INTERVENTION: The TM technique of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is a standardized procedure practiced for 15 to 20 minutes twice daily while sitting comfortably with eyes closed. SETTING: Province of Quebec, Canada. RESULTS: During the 3 years before starting the TM program, the adjusted payments to physicians for treating the subjects did not change significantly. After beginning TM practice, subjects' adjusted expenses declined significantly. The several methods used to assess the rate of decline showed estimates ranging from 5% to 7% annually. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggests that the TM technique reduces government payments to physicians. However, because of the sampling method used, the generalizability of these results to wider populations could not be evaluated.
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PURPOSE: To determine whether practice of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique can affect medical expenses. DESIGN: The evaluation was a quasi experimental, longitudinal, cost-minimization study. SETTING: Province of Quebec, Canada. SUBJECTS: This study involved 1418 Quebec health insurance enrollees who practiced the TM technique compared with 1418 subjects who were randomly selected from enrollees of the same age, sex, and region. TM subjects had chosen to begin the technique prior to learning about and choosing to enter the study. MEASURES: This 14-year, pre- and postintervention study retrospectively assessed government payments to physicians for treating the TM and comparison groups. Other medical expense data for individuals were unavailable. Data were inflation-adjusted. For each subject, least squares regression slopes were calculated to estimate pre- and postintervention annual rates of change in payments. We compared the groups' means and 1%, 5%, and 10% trimmed means (robust estimators) of the slopes. RESULTS: Before starting meditation, the yearly rate of increase in payments between groups was not significantly different (p > .17). After commencing meditation, the TM group's mean payments declined 1% to 2% annually. The comparison group's payments increased up to 11.73% annually over 6 years. There was a 13.78% mean annual difference (p = .0017). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the TM technique reduced payments to physicians between 5% and 13% annually relative to comparison subjects over 6 years. Randomized studies are recommended.
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The Danish Health and Morbidity Survey of 1986-87 demonstrates a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in the population over 15 years of age. The point-prevalence for long-standing illnesses of the musculoskeletal system was 13 percent. Half of the respondents had had pain during the last 2 weeks. Back disorder was the specific disease that was most frequent. Diseases and symptoms of the musculoskeletal system were frequent in the age groups over 44 years old, and occurred more often in women than in men. Back disorders were reported more often by blue-collar workers and self-employed persons than by white-collar workers. The study has contributed to an action program in the Danish government program on health.