Last autumn, TTLA spent time in Westwood, at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The Center is directed by E. Richard Brown, who TTLA mentioned here.
The Center's signature program is CHIS, the California Health Interview Survey. Information gleaned from this massive statewide survey is used in study after study produced by the Center's researchers, and by others.
From the "What is CHIS" page:
"CHIS is the nation's largest state health survey. Conducted every two years on a wide range of health topics, CHIS data gives a detailed picture of the health and health care needs of California's large and diverse population."The survey provides:
* Statewide information on the overall population including many racial and ethnic groups.
* Local-level information on most counties for health planning and important comparison purposes.
The survey uses a strict methodology and extensive questionnaires.
CHIS 2009 is currently underway.
CHIS 2007 surveyed more than 51,000 adults, more than 13,000 teens and children and more than 53,000 households, with oversampling of Los Angeles and San Diego Counties."
One -- again, of the many -- results of the CHIS effort is this chart of the "Uninsured Children in California by Legislative District."
By way of example: KCET.org and KCET are housed in Los Angeles, within the 31st Congressional District.
According to the UCLA chart, there are an estimated 19,000 uninsured children (ages 0-18) living in the 31st. That's 8.6% of all the district's children, and the fifth-highest percentage among California's 53 Congressional Districts.
Again, according to the chart:
The highest percentage of uninsured children is District 45, in Riverside County, with 10% (26,000) uninsured kids.
By contrast, District 12, in Northern California, has the lowest percentage, 3.2% (4,000) uninsured kids.
The complete chart is here. More about CHIS is here.
Illustration copyright and courtesy Sketch Winters, 2009
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Is that kid holding toilet paper?
Thanks for the question, Eiro, actually it's a bandage, but you're right to think that toilet paper is an important step in public health ;)