The Kidsdata News Roundup
News, Research, and Data About Children's Health and Well Being
October 2010

Of Note: Top Reasons to Use Kidsdata.org Over the last year, kidsdata.org has been phasing in data for all counties, cities, and school districts in the state. This expansion is now complete, and more than 400 measures of child health and well being are available. Watch this video to learn about kidsdata.org's helpful features, and find tips on how to quickly locate the data you need.

See also: RFP on Using Data to Improve Health and Well Being of CA Children

ADD/ADHD
ADHD Is a Genetic Disorder, Study Finds
(LA Times, 9/29/10)

See the Data:
In California, about 24% of children with special health care needs have ADD or ADHD, according to 2005-06 data.



Asthma
Smoking Bans Cut Hospital Admissions for Kids with Asthma, Study Finds
(SJ Mercury, 9/15/10, by Stobbe)

See the Data:
In 2007 in California, asthma/bronchitis was the most common reason for hospitalizations among children ages 0-17.



Autism
Story Highlights Family’s Struggle When Insurance Doesn’t Cover Autism Treatment
(CNN, 9/17/10, by Frysh)

See the Data:
In 2009, 53,000+ special ed students were diagnosed with autism in California – roughly 3 times as many as 2002.



Births
U.S. Teen Births Drop, Still Highest in Developed World, Study Finds
(Health Behavior News Service, 9/29/10, by Duval)

CDC: One-Third of Sex Education in the U.S. Omits Birth Control
(AP, 9/15/10, by Stobbe)

See the Data:
The teen birth rate in California dropped from 63 births per 1,000 young women ages 15-19 in 1995 to 37 per 1,000 in 2007.



Breastfeeding
More Moms Initially Try to Breastfeed Babies, but Barriers Prevent Them from Continuing, Study Says
(LA Times, 9/29/10, by Cohn)

Breastfeeding in First 6 Months May Prevent Infant Infections, Study Finds
(HealthDay News, 9/28/10, by Mozes)

See the Data:
Roughly 4 in 10 California mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants in the hospital after giving birth.

At 6 months old, 68% of California infants in the WIC supplemental nutrition program were fed only formula, and just 10% exclusively breastfed in 2008.



Family Structure
More Children Being Raised by Grandparents, Report Finds
(AP, 9/9/10, by Crary)

See the Data:
In 2006-08, 3% of kids in California were in the care of their grandparents.



Health Insurance
Report: Up to 5 Million Uninsured Kids in the U.S. Eligible for, but Not Enrolled in, Government Programs
(Reuters, 9/3/10, by Allen)

See the Data:
In 2007, 5.7% of kids in California ages 0-17 were uninsured.



Immunizations
Pockets of Low Vaccination Rates in the Bay Area Pose Risk to Students, Health Officials Say
(Bay Citizen, 9/11/10, by Mieszkowski)

See the Data:
Kindergarten immunization rates in the Bay Area have remained relatively steady since 2000.



Sexual Health
Condom Use Becoming the Norm for Sexually Active Teenagers, Study Finds
(NY Times, 10/4/10, by Caryn Rabin)

See the Data:
The percent of California teens ages 14-17 reporting that they have not had sex remained steady at 80% from 2001-07.



Other Research and Reports

2010 California County Scorecard of Children's Well Being
This scorecard, released by Children Now, tracks 26 key indicators of children's well being for all counties in California. The indicators range from children who see a dentist regularly to children who are not truant from school. View the full scorecard and results for your county at http://www.childrennow.org/subsites/publications/invest/scorecard10/scorecard10_home.htm.

Youth Readiness for the Future
The 2009-10 Gallup Student Poll, a representative survey of U.S. youth ages 10-18, assessed the "hope, engagement, and well being" of students. Results indicated that only about one-third of students in the U.S. are ready for the future, meaning they are hopeful, engaged at school, and thriving in life. Read highlights from the report at http://www.gallupstudentpoll.com/141998/Gallup-Student-Poll-Report-August-2010.aspx.




Know of news that we should include in our next edition of the Kidsdata News Roundup? Send us an e-mail.