Scope

This Research Guide focuses on the availability, quality and cost of health care in the United States and examines the future direction and participation of the federal government in meeting health care needs.

Overview

Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics
College Library Reference Collection: BJ 63 A66 1998
Refer to "Health and Disease, Concepts of" volume 2, pages 433-538

Encyclopedia of Bioethics
College Library Reference Collection: QH 332 E52 1995
Refer to volume 2:
"Health Care" pages 1039-1048
"Health-Care Financing" pages 1049-1066
"Health Policy" pages 1116-1126

Encyclopedia of Women's Health Issues
College Library Reference Collection: RA 778 G 39 2002
Refer to "Health-Care Access" and Health Insurance pages 111-114

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center 1990 - to date (updated daily)
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center (OVRC) includes the acclaimed social issues series published by Greenhaven Press, as well as core reference content from other Gale and Macmillan Reference USA sources and provides viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

Finding Journal and News Articles

Below are links to databases that cover this subject area. The truncation symbol for all of them is an asterisk (*) unless otherwise noted.

Sample searches for databases:

managed care and quality
medicare and cost*
patients' bill of rights
Clinton and health care reform
fee-for-service health care
health maintenance organization* and women
medicine and cost*
social security
medicaid
health care industry
health facilities
medical service*
health insurance
universal health care
national health insurance
health care and uninsured

Recommended Databases:

Academic Search 1984 - to date (updated daily)
This library database indexes approximately 3,100 popular magazines and academic journals and provides the full-text articles from approximately 1,000 journals. Basic instructions for Academic Search

CQ Researcher November 1991 - to date (updated weekly)
Contains weekly reports from Congressional Quarterly that cover the most current and controversial issues. Basic instructions for CQ Researcher

ProQuest Research Library 1988 - to date (updated daily)
Indexes over 2,000 general-interest and academic journals. Nearly 1,000 periodicals are full-text. Dates vary, but many full-text journals go back to 1988. Basic instructions for ProQuest Research Library

Readers' Guide Full Text and Retrospective 1890 - to date (updated monthly)
Indexes 240 popular magazines in a wide range of subject areas. Full-text coverage of 131 titles begins with 1994. Basic instructions for Readers' Guide Full Text

Social Sciences Full Text 1983 - to date (updated monthly)
Indexes more than 415 scholarly journals in economics, politics, public administration, public health, sociology, criminology, environmental and urban studies, psychology and anthropology. Basic instructions for Social Sciences Full Text

More Databases:

Business Full Text 1982 - to date (updated monthly)
Indexes 400 key business periodicals, including trade magazines and scholarly journals, covering all aspects of business. Basic instructions for Business Full Text

Lexis/Nexis Academic Universe Dates Vary (updated daily)
Contains the full-text articles from U.S. and international newspapers (including the New York Times, June 1980 - to date), as well as some news and business magazines and trade journals. The truncation symbol is an exclamation point (!). Basic instructions for Lexis/Nexis Academic Universe

Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS) 1972 - to date (updated quarterly)
Indexes journal articles, books, government documents, statistical compilations, committee reports, directories, serials, reports of public, intergovernmental and private organizations, and most other forms of printed literature from all over the world. The full-text of the articles is not available in the database. Basic instructions for PAIS

Finding Books

MadCat
Books on health care can be found in MadCat, the UW-Madison library catalog.

Sample keyword searches:

"health care" and reform
health and insurance
"medical care"
"medical care" and cost?
"social security"
http and "health care" (to find electronic resources)

Internet Sites

Advocate Health Care Web Site
http://www.advocatehealth.com
The Advocate Health Care Web Site is a community service of Advocate Health Care, a not-for-profit health system with 180 sites of care and more than 3,800 physicians. This site is intended to provide information to help you stay well, manage your health care and learn about the many services available through Advocate Health Care. This site is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, which you should obtain from your doctor.

American Medical Association
http://www.ama-assn.org
The AMA promotes professionalism in medicine and sets standards for medical education, practice, and ethics. This site includes news and events, information about policies and advocacy, the online edition of JAMA, and a variety of articles and resources.

Bureau of Primary Health Care
http://bphc.hrsa.gov
Department of the U.S. Health and Human Services

Extended Care Providers and Home Health Agencies
http://www.ElderConnect.com
Provides information, assistance and advice for families in selecting extended care options. Includes searchable database of health issues and facilities.

National Health Information Center (NHIC)
http://www.health.gov/nhic
A health information referral service. NHIC puts health professionals and consumers who have health questions in touch with those organizations that are best able to provide answers. NHIC was established in 1979 by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Nationwide Service of the Office of Minority Health, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service
http://www.omhrc.gov/
The mission of OMH is to improve the health of racial and ethnic populations through the development of effective health policies and programs that help to eliminate disparities in health. This site includes data, statistics, reports, newsletters and links.

Public Agenda Issue Guides: Health Care
http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/frontdoor.cfm?issue_type=healthcare
Public Agenda, a nonpartisan opinion research and civic engagement organization, presents public opinion and arguments related to health care reform.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.os.dhhs.gov
The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.

Statistics

Statistical Universe 1973 - to date (updated monthly)
Contains the full text of more than 800 U.S. government statistical publications. Lexis-Nexis Statistical Universe is available to UW-Madison registered users.

Statistical Abstracts of the United States
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
College Library Reference Collection: HA 202 U5