Health Program

The Health Program has three long-term goals: to make health and a sense of well-being accessible to millions in this country who are living in poverty; to empower individuals to become full participants in health-related decisions; and to shift the nation's concept of health care from one that is focused on disease to one that is focused on health. In 1991, we pursued these goals by awarding grants to address systemic problems that have a negative impact on the health of low-income children and their families. We also supported the emerging field of mind/body and behavioral medicine. Some of our 1991 grantees are described in detail below.

THE UNDERSERVED

There is a link between poor health and poverty. In 1991, we chose to focus on the needs of low-income children and their families, in the belief that children who are born healthy and remain healthy throughout their adolescence may be able to break the cycle of poverty. Among the issues we addressed were: access to health care for children and families; and nutrition for children and pregnant women. Preference was given to national programs that empower organizations working at the state and local levels.

CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND
Washington, DC $100,000

To support its work to improve state level implementation of an expanded federal health program for poor and near poor children. The expanded program promises 15 million low-income children comprehensive health care coverage. There is evidence, however, that states are not complying with the new federal law, and eligible low-income children are being denied access to the health care to which they are entitled. During the grant period, CDF is conducting a comprehensive, national survey of the status of state implementation of the federal law. The results of the survey will be made available to federal regulators responsible for ensuring that states deliver those child health services.

SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN'S HEALTH
Washington, DC $50,000

For general support. Women are rarely included as subjects in medical research and little research is conducted on women's diseases which kill or debilitate thousands annually. As a result, the health care provided to women is inadequate. During the grant year, the Society convened health care practitioners, pharmaceutical companies, and consumers of health care in order to identify priorities for women's health research in this decade. The result of these meetings were reports that laid out a women's health research agenda for the 1990s and an action plan aimed at implementing that agenda. The reports, which reflect the special need of low-income women, elderly women, disabled women, and women of color, were widely disseminated to health policy decision-makers.

MIND/BODY AND BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE

A growing body of scientific evidence supports the view that mental and emotional states affect physical health, and that effective psychological intervention can affect the course of physical illness. Clinical experience and a wealth of anecdotes had previously supported this conclusion, but the results of well-designed experiments are now supplementing these suppositions. In 1991, we supported efforts to bring mind/body techniques into mainstream medical practice.

POLICY RESOURCE CENTER/CENTER FOR ADVANCEMENT OF HEALTH
Washington, DC $400,000

To develop the Center For the Advancement of Health (CAH). The mission of the CAH is to bring mind/body approaches to healing into the mainstream of medical practice by promoting the incorporation of sound mind/body techniques into health care; by working to include these concepts and methods in the training of health care professionals; and by encouraging increased funding of research designed to test and understand the clinical efficacy of mind/body methods. Finally, it will educate third party payers and individuals about the potential both in cost savings and increased health in preventive and restorative mind/body techniques.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Palo Alto, California $33,110

To develop a series of teaching videotapes on the group therapy techniques used by psychiatrist Dr. David Spiegel in a study of women with metastic breast cancer. The women who participated in group therapy lived eighteen months longer on average than those in a control group, with both groups receiving routine oncological care. In addition, the women who participated in group therapy had reductions in anxiety and depression and only half the pain of the women in the control group. Replication of this study has the potential both to relieve suffering and to add to our understanding of successful cancer interventions.

NATIONAL BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECT
Atlanta, Georgia $45,000

To develop a Walking For Wellness Program for African American women and girls. Stress, feelings of powerlessness, and sedentary lifestyles contribute to the high risk of cardiovascular-related problems faced by African Americans. The Walking For Wellness Program will encourage and motivate women and girls of African American descent to walk as a form of accessible, low-cost exercise and to participate in self-help groups to explore the feelings and issues that affect their health and that of their families. the care provided to women is inadequate. During the grant year, the Society convened health care practitioners, pharmaceutical companies, and consumers of health care in order to identify priorities for women's health research in this decade. The result of these meetings were reports that laid out a women's health research agenda for the 1990s and an action plan aimed at implementing that agenda. The reports, which reflect the special need of low-income women, elderly women, disabled women, and women of color, were widely disseminated to health policy decision-makers.