School nurses trained as nurse practitioners can help resolve the problems of ready access to and appropriate use of primary care, early detection of medical problems, and efficient use of school staff. This paper describes a project in which Denver's school nurses received training as nurse practitioners, suggesting ways to solve problems in role…

Reports on an aspect of a larger project broadly examining the role of language in health care practices. Discusses the effects of dementia on the speech of an aging white Xhosa speaker in the context of a health care institution. Dementia has not been conclusively demonstrated in black Africans. Shows the effects of dementia on the responses…

Surveyed patients (N=183) aged 55 and older on their current level of psychiatric distress and preferences for psychological services. Seventy-nine percent stated they would use any psychological services presented to them. Few said they would attend group psychotherapy but more than half said they would attend psychoeducational classes. Discusses…

Morrison Institute for Public Policy is pleased to present "How Arizona Compares: Real Numbers and Hot Topics," the 5th edition of Arizona "Policy Choices." The Arizona "Policy Choices" volumes seek to do more than report. They are designed to assist decision making, stimulate debate, and serve as references. Arizona "Policy Choices" volumes have…

The diffusion and U.S. geographic distribution of primary care physicians are discussed in three papers. The literature on the diffusion issue is reviewed in the first paper. After introducing diffusion concepts, measures, and problems, current evidence for the diffusion of physicians are assessed, and efforts to forecast future needs for…

The authors discuss the care-cure dichotomy (baccaulaureate students were found to be care-oriented; the associate degree students were cure-oriented) and the problems these attitudes present. (Author/BP)

Relationships between faculty ratings and performance on components of the National Board of Medical Examiners Certifying Examination for Primary Care Physician's Assistants were investigated. Results show significant though modest correlation. One implication is that faculty members are able to make discrete judgements about students on more than…

After comparing the development of training programs for new health practitioners (NHPs) with that for "old health practitioners" (physicians) in the U.S., the author summarizes information describing the NHP training programs: the number of programs and their location, the curricula, and evidence of the impact of these practitioners on the health…

The planning and development of interdisciplinary education for health associates at Johns Hopkins University are described by Malcolm L. Peterson. (Includes training of an interdisciplinary team of practitioners by an interdisciplinary team of teachers.) Walter O. Spitzer compares Canadian and U.S. experience in such interdisciplinary education…

Residency programs for primary practice are described with focus on: model practice goals, the setting, and scheduling; faculty, including some approaches for resolving the new "town-gown" dichotomy; and the two basic types of curricula (family medicine model and the more traditional internship experience). (JT)

A description of the program of early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment (EPSDT), part of the Federal Medicaid services, which was established in 1968 as a large scale venture in preventive medicine aimed at the children of low-income people. (EH)

The unmet health needs of children, both globally and in the United States, have recently been extensively publicized in the media. Such publicity leads to the question: What can be done about these disturbing conditions? An answer can be seen in the ways in which vast proportions of the world's population, constrained by meager means, few…

Refugee assistance policies and programs should be reoriented to ensure both short- and long-term physical, social, and mental well-being. This approach must fully encompass primary health care and embrace a wide range of activities and programs that are not traditionally viewed as health-related. The refugee assistance community is sometimes…

A clinical clerkship that provides medical students the opportunity to learn side by side with family practice residents is described. Clerkship objectives are to expose the student to: a variety of health care settings with the individual and family as the primary focus; ambulatory care of patients with conditions commonly seen by family…

This manual was developed to train primary health care facilitators and health educators in the construction and use of low-cost supplementary learning materials that are both socially relevant and participatory in nature. The curriculum is organized to provide the facilitator with a course outline and syllabus, suggested list of supplies,…