Economic crisis and access to care: Cuba's health care system since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

This article explores the effects on access to health care in Cuba of the severe economic crisis that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union and the monetary and market reforms adopted to confront it. Economic crises undermine health and well-being. Widespread scarcities and self-seeking attitudes fostered by monetary and market relations could result in differential access to health services and resources, but the authors found no evidence of such differential access in Cuba. While Cubans generally complain about many shortages, including shortages of health services and resources before the economic recovery began in 1995, no interviewees reported systemic shortages or unequal access to health care services or resources; interviewees were particularly happy with their primary care services. These findings are consistent with official health care statistics, which show that, while secondary and tertiary care suffered in the early years of the crisis because of interruptions in access to medical technologies, primary care services expanded unabated, resulting in improved health outcomes. The combined effects of the well-functioning universal and equitable health care system in place before the crisis, the government's steadfast support for the system, and the network of social solidarity based on grassroots organizations mitigated the corrosive effects of monetary and market relations in the context of severe scarcities and an intensified U.S. embargo against the Cuban people.

Welfare leavers' use of Medicaid transitional medical assistance in California, 1993-1997.

Using administrative and survey data, we estimate participation rates in Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA) for the period 1993-97 by California welfare leavers during their first six months post-welfare. We find that although many welfare leavers were eligible for TMA (35% to 47% of exiters), only 26% of eligible people were enrolled in the TMA program. Another 14% were covered by non-TMA Medicaid for the entire six months. Most TMA-eligible exiters had Medicaid coverage (all of it non-TMA) for less than six months (49%) or no Medicaid coverage at all (11%). Supplementary analyses using data from the National Survey of America's Families indicate that if fully implemented, TMA could have substantially reduced uninsurance among welfare leavers.

Cervix and breast cancer incidence in immigrant Caribbean women

Cervix and breast cancer incidence in 1978-82 was computed for immigrant and United States-born Black women in Brooklyn, New York. Compared to the national SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and Enf Results) rates, US-born and Haitian women had high rates of invasive cervical cancer, while English-speaking Caribbean immigrants had an average rate. However, while US-born women had an average rate of carcinoma in situ of the cervix, both immigrant groups had low rates. Both immigrant groups had low rates of breast cancer, whereas US-born Black women had an average rate. (AU)