The Kidsdata News Roundup
News, Research, and
Data About Children's Health and Well Being
August 2010
Anti-Smoking Efforts Compete Against Childhood Obesity for Attention and Funding
(NY Times, 7/27/10, by Wilson)
Public Officials Concerned That Decline in Teen Smoking Has Leveled Off
(NY Times, 7/8/10, by Wilson)
See the Data:
In California, 15% of 11th-grade boys and 12% of 11th-grade girls reported smoking on one or more days in the past month, according to 2006-08 data.
'Test-Tube Babies' Have Higher Rate of Childhood Cancer, but Probably Not Linked to Means of Conception
(SF Chronicle, 7/19/10, by Tanner)
Childhood Cancer Survivors at Increased Risk for Second Cancers Decades Later, Study Finds
(CNN, 7/14/10, by Landau)
Study: Alternative Therapies Don’t Alleviate Kids' Cancer Stress
(Reuters, 7/12/10, by Joelving)
See the Data:
In California, the rate of childhood cancer diagnoses rose from 11.0 per 100,000 in ’97-01 to 16.6 in ‘02-06.
Study Finds New Form of Child Abuse: ‘Malicious’ Use of Medications and Drugs
(WSJ, 7/22/10, by Hobson)
See the Data:
In 2008, there were more than 97,000 substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect in California. Also see rates of child abuse across California.
One in 4 California Kids Under Age 11 Has Never Been to a Dentist
(LA Times, 7/7/10, by Dennis)
Latino and African American Children Are Less Likely to Go to the Dentist Than Their White Peers, Regardless of Insurance Status, Study Finds
(HealthyCal.org, 7/28/10, by Weintraub)
See the Data:
About 13% of California children ages 2-17 have never been to the dentist, according to 2007 data.
Anxiety, Depression Often Go Undetected, Untreated in Children, Research Shows
(HealthDay News, 7/13/10, by Thompson)
See the Data:
On average, 1 in 3 7th-grade girls in California has depression related feelings; almost 40% of 9th and 11th-grade girls in California report depression, compared to about 25% of boys, according to 2006-08 data.
Survey: ADHD Medications Can Help, But Many Parents Still Against Using Them
(MSNBC, 7/20/10, by Carroll)
More Summer Camps Available for Children with Special Needs, but Price Is High
(Washington Post, 7/9/10, by Williams)
See the Data:
14.5% of children in California – nearly 1.5 million – had special health care needs in 2007.
Health Insurers Win Concession on Coverage for Children; Allowed to Set Limited ‘Open Enrollment’ Periods
(SF Chronicle, 7/28/10)
As Parents Lose Jobs, Kids Often Lose Out on Health Care, Study Shows
(BusinessWeek, 7/9/10, by Preidt)
See the Data:
Around 94% of kids in California had health insurance in 2007; 56% were covered by their parents' employment based insurance, and about one third were covered by public insurance.
Teens with ADHD More Likely to Drop Out of High School, Study Shows
(CNN, 7/28/10)
See the Data:
More than 98,000 public high school students were estimated to have dropped out in 2008.
Babies Born Just a Few Weeks Early More Likely to Have Severe Respiratory Illness, Study Finds
(LA Times, 7/27/10, by Roan)
See the Data:
In 2007, almost 7% of infants in California were born at low birthweight (less than 5 pounds, 5 ounces).
Research Shows Consequences of Childhood Obesity on Social and Economic Well Being
(NPR, 7/28/10, by Neighmond)
Some Health Experts Wary of Gastric Bands for Teens
(Reuters, 7/26/10, by Sherman)
Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs Are Most Successful Among Young Children, Study Finds
(LA Times, 7/14/10, by Stein)
Study: Obesity Drops Among Kids in School-Based Health Program
(NY Times, 7/12/10, by Rabin)
See the Data:
More than two-thirds of California’s public school students in grades 5, 7, and 9 were at a healthy weight in 2008.
The 2010 KidsCOUNT Data Book Ranks States on Children's Health
The 2010 KidsCOUNT Data Book was released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Using 10 key child health indicators, the Data Book ranks states according to how they’ve fared in those measures since 2000 - and also provides national comparisons.
This year, California ranks 19th - a slight improvement over the rank of 20th in the 2009 Data Book. Since 2000, our state has improved in nearly every area featured: infant mortality, child and teen death rates, teen birth rates, and others. View the California profile at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/ca and read our blog post on Data Points, the kidsdata.org blog.
The Children's Budget 2010
First Focus released the 2010 Children's Budget, an annual, comprehensive report detailing the federal government's spending on children's programs. The report notes that spending on kids increased in 2009 and 2010, largely due the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (a.k.a. the Federal Stimulus). With this additional funding, spending on children's programs (ranging from health and education to child welfare and juvenile justice) is expected to be about 9% of the federal budget this fiscal year. View the full report at http://www.firstfocus.net/sites/default/files/ChildrensBudget2010.pdf.
Healthy Communities Matter: The Importance of Place to the Health of Boys of Color
A recent report by the California Endowment presents findings about the importance of community to the health of boys and young men of color. The report notes that boys tend to experience worse health outcomes than girls, and health disparities are particularly pronounced for African American and Latino boys and young men as a result of growing up in neighborhoods of "concentrated disadvantage." Read the full report:
http://www.calendow.org/uploadedFiles/Publications/BMOC/The%20California%20Endowment%20-%20Healthy%20Communities%20Matter%20-%20Report.pdf
Know of news that we should include in our next edition of the Kidsdata News Roundup? Send us an e-mail.
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