Tag Archives: Child Health

Early Elective Deliveries in Mississippi: Impact on Health and Medical Care Costs

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The growing practice of early delivery of infants for non-medical reasons is associated with higher rates of newborn admissions to hospital intensive care units and neonatal deaths.  As a result, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends scheduling elective deliveries until at least 39 weeks of gestation.

The Center for Mississippi Health Policy partnered with the Mississippi State Department of Health to analyze the available data on early elective deliveries in Mississippi. Data on birth trends, medical care costs, … Read more...

Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act on Childhood Obesity

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The Center for Mississippi Health Policy collaborated with researchers from three Mississippi universities — The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State University, and The University of Mississippi — to evaluate the impact of the 2007 Mississippi Healthy Students Act on childhood obesity in the state.  The research was funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Bower Foundation and was conducted from 2008 through 2012.  The final report, entitled Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act: Year … Read more...

Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act on Childhood Obesity: Year 3 Research

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University of Southern Mississippi researchers have found a significant decline in the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among elementary age students in Mississippi public schools. The rate dropped from 43.0 percent in 2005 to 37.3 percent in 2011. Data from the 2011 Child and Youth Prevalence of Obesity Study (CAYPOS) also documented a significant drop in the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity for white students, but not for black students. Rates for all students in all grades have … Read more...

What Do Mississippi Parents Think About Sex-Related Education in Public Schools?

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During its 2011 Regular Session, the Mississippi Legislature passed HB 999, which requires each local school board to adopt a policy on sex-related education by June 30, 2012, to implement either an abstinence-only or an abstinence-plus curriculum. The Center for Mississippi Health Policy commissioned Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center to survey parents of Mississippi public school students to assess their attitudes and opinions regarding the content of and methods for delivering sex-related education in the schools. The Center

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Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act on Childhood Obesity: Year Two Research

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The Center for Mississippi Health Policy has released a report summarizing key findings from the second year of research, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Bower Foundation, evaluating the impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act.  The Year Two Report, Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act, presents the results of studies conducted by three Mississippi universities that provide valuable information for educators and policy-makers as they look toward the next few years of … Read more...