Maternal and Child Health Library

This and past issues of the MCH Alert are available at http://www.mchlibrary.info/alert/archives.html.

April 5, 2007

1. Survey Assesses Characteristics and Experiences of Families Who Enroll in Oregon's Public Health Insurance Programs
2. Campaign Carries Important Message to Latina Adolescents
3. Guide Focuses on Design and Development of Pay-for-Performance Strategies in State Medicaid Programs
4. Article Assesses Predictors of Change in Physical Activity During and After Pregnancy

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Readers: The next issue of the MCH Alert will be published April 20, 2007.

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1. SURVEY ASSESSES CHARACTERISTICS AND EXPERIENCES OF FAMILIES WHO ENROLL IN OREGON'S PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS

Who Enrolls in Oregon’s Premium Assistance Program and How Do They Fare? summarizes findings from surveys of families who enrolled their child in either the Oregon Family Health Insurance Assistance Program (FHIAP) or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to study the factors that affect parental choice and compare program effects. The issue brief is the sixth in a series published by Child Health Insurance Research Initiative with support from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. A description of Oregon's FHIAP and SCHIP and lessons learned are provided in both text and graphic formats. Topics include coverage (individual market, employer-sponsored insurance, and uninsured); primary care access and program satisfaction; perceived and realized program eligibility; factors in program enrollment; and insurance status after public insurance disenrollment. A conclusion, a discussion of policy implications and the study methodology, a list of sources and related studies of interest, and contact information are also presented. The brief is intended for use by policymakers and others in improving access to, and the quality of, health care for children from families with low incomes. The brief is available at http://www.ahrq.gov/chiri/chiribrf6/chiribrf6.pdf.

• The mean age of women at enrollment was 32.5, 34% were overweight or obese before pregnancy, and 24% were nonwhite. Approximately 8%-9% of the women were depressed during either time period.
• The percentage of women working equal to or greater than 35 hours per week was 60% during the second trimester and 30% at 6 months postpartum. Nearly two-thirds of the sample reported that insufficient time was a very important barrier to physical activity at 6 months postpartum.
• Physical activity decreased during pregnancy from 9.6 to 6.9 hours per week and rebounded to 8.0 hours per week during the postpartum period. This decrease was accounted for by the sustained drop in light-to-moderate and vigorous physical activity, not including walking.
• Prevalence of insufficiently active lifestyle increased from 12.6% pre-pregnancy to 21.6% during pregnancy, and remained at 21.7% during the postpartum period.
• The odds ratio for becoming insufficiently active during pregnancy was 1.58 in women with at least one child already in the home compared to women with no children yet in the home.
• Predictors of insufficient activity between pregnancy and 6 months postpartum included postpartum weight retention, working longer hours during pregnancy and postpartum, and reporting that child care was a barrier to physical activity.