National Ambulatory Care Survey Research Articles

Transient ischemic attacks, Parkinson's disease andepilepsy: Results from the 1980 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

For many neurologic disorders there are no national studies from which reliable prevalence estimates can be made. Without these estimates the impact of a given disorder may be unknown. Using data from the 1980 National Ambulatory Care Survey, of the US National Center for Health Statistics, estimates of the use of officebased physician services for individuals with transient ischemic attack, Parkinson's disease or epilepsy were made. There were 700,000 office visits for these disorders. The vast majority, over 60%, were to general practitioners and internists. After adjusting the general population data for visits to physicians specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, differences in patient demographics, diagnostic services performed, and therapies initiated or continued were noted. Generally, given the nature of the conditions being studied, the differences were expected. Using data from the National Health Care Expenditures Survey, it is estimated that each of the study diseases, except for tests, treatments etc., cost the US society $21 million for office visits.

Children's health care and the changing role of women.

The pivotal role of women as wife, mother or adult daughter in performing health-related activities for family members has received little attention from health researchers or policymakers. Yet the majority of health problems do not reach the medical care system, but are dealt with informally or through other social systems. This article discusses the impact of family health care responsibilities on women's market and nonmarket roles in two areas: home nursing care for children's illnesses and escorting children to sources of formal medical care. National data on the incidence of children's illnesses provide the basis for an analysis of the contribution to absenteeism among employed women represented by care of an ill child. Similarly, data from the National Ambulatory Care Survey form the basis for estimates of the economic value of escort time involved in children's medical care. The analysis suggests that policies directed to assuring adequate health care for children take account of the informal, nonmarket health services in which women now play the major role. It must also be recognized that women's changing labor market roles are affecting the availability of these services and increasing their costs to the women who provide them.