Optometry - Journal of the American Optometric Association
Volume 79, Issue 10 , Pages 564-575 , October 2008

The role of community health centers in responding to disparities in visual health

  • American Optometric Association Community Health Center Committee

      Affiliations

    • Susan A. Primo, O.D., M.P.H., Lillian Kalaczinski, O.D., Roger Wilson, O.D. (chair), and Karen Chester, O.D. (committee authors); John Whitener, O.D. (AOA staff author); Sandra Block, O.D., M.Ed., Jan Cooper, O.D., and Daniel Desrivieres, O.D. (other committee members).
    • ,
  • Michelle Proser

      Affiliations

    • National Association of Community Health Centers, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC
    • ,
  • Peter Shin, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • School of Public Health and Health Services, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC

References 

  1. Shin P, Markus A, Rosenbaum S, et al. Adoption of health center performance measures and national benchmarks. J Ambul Care Manage. 2008;31(1):69–75
  2. Huang E, Zhang Q, Brown SE, et al. The cost-effectiveness of improving diabetes care in U.S. federally qualified community health centers. J Gen Intern Med. 2007;42(6 pt 1):2174–2193
  3. Zhang X, Saaddine JB, Lee PP, et al. Eye care in the United States: Do we deliver to high-risk people who can benefit the most from it?. Arch Ophthalmol. 2007;125(3):411–418
  4. Heslin KC, Casey R, Shaheen MA, et al. Racial and ethnic differences in unmet need for vision care among children with special health care needs. Arch Ophthalmol. 2006;124(6):895–902
  5. Gillian K, Fisher S. Addressing unequal treatment: disparities in health care. Issue Brief, The Commonwealth Fund; 2004. Available at: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/usr_doc/SteelFisher_unequaltreatment_cong2004_709.pdf?section=4039. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  6. National Eye Institute, 2005. Survey of public knowledge, attitudes and practices related to eye health and disease (October 2007). Available at: http://www.nei.nih.gov/nehep/kap/. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  7. College of Optometrists; British Geriatrics Society. The importance of vision in preventing falls. London: College of Optometrists, 2003 Nov. PDF available at: publications@college-optometrists.org.
  8. Wilson R, Sharda V. History of community health center affiliations with The New England College of Optometry. Optometry. 2008;79:594–602
  9. Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 254b], 42 C.F.R. Part 51c, 42 C.F.R. Part 491. Also, see Bureau of Primary Health Care Policy Information Notice: 98-23. Health Center Program Expectations. August 17, 1998.
  10. Donaldson MS, Yordy KD, Lohr KN, et al. Primary care: American's health in a new era. Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996, 124-6.
  11. Johnston Lloyd LL, Ammary NJ, Epstein LG, et al. A transdisciplinary approach to improve health literacy and reduce disparities. Health Promotion Practice. 2006;7(3):331–335
  12. Lopez LA, Donohue-Henry C. Celebration 40 years of service: The community health centers' role in reducing racial and ethnic disparities. Del Med J. 2005;77(9):349–351
  13. Prevent Blindness America, 2007. Available at: http://www.preventblindness.org/advocacy/model_screening_legislation.html. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  14. Improving early childhood eyecare, policy statements. Am J Public Health. 2002;92(3):2–6
  15. National Eye Institute, 2008. Available at: http://www.nei.nih.gov/news/statements/vis-screen.asp. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  16. Scheimann MM. American Optometric Association optometric practice clinical guideline pediatric eye and vision examinations: reference guide for clinicians. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: 2002. Available at: http://www.aoa.org/documents/CPG-2.pdf. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  17. DeNavas-Walt C, Proctor BD, Smith J. U.S. Census Bureau, current population reports, p60-233, income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United States: 2006. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2007;
  18. Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity, states (2004-2005), U.S. (2005). Kaiser State Facts Online. Available at: http://www.statehealthfacts.org. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  19. National Association of Community Health Centers. Safety net on the edge, August 2005. Available at: http://www.nachc.com/research. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  20. Manett Health Solutions. Improving commercial reimbursement for community health centers. Fall 2007. Available at: http://www.nachc.com/research. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  21. American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and the American Osteopathic Association's joint statement on medical homes. Joint Principles of a Patient-Centered Medical Home Released by Organizations Representing More Than 300,000 Physicians [press release]. American Academy of Family Physicians, March 5, 2007. Available at: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/press/aafpnewsreleases/20070301releases/20070305pressrelease0.html. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  22. Shi L. The relation between primary care and life changes. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 1992;3:321–335
  23. Shi L. Primary care, specialty care, and life chances. Int J Health Serv. 1992;24(3):431–458
  24. Shi L. Balancing primary versus specialty care. J R Soc Med. 1995;88(8):428–432
  25. Shi L, Macinko J, Starfield B, et al. The relationship between primary care, income inequality, and mortality in U.S. states, 1980-1995. J Am Board Fam Pract. 2003;16(5):412–422
  26. Ferrer RL, Hambidge SJ, Maly RC. The essential role of generalists in health care systems. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142(8):691–699
  27. Lambrew JM, DeFriese GH, Carey TS, et al. The effects of having a regular doctor on access to primary care. Med Care. 1996;34(2):138–151
  28. Starfield B, Shi L. The medical home, access to care, and insurance: a review of evidence. Pediatrics. 2004;113(5):1493–1498
  29. Shi L, Starfield B, Kennedy B, et al. Income inequality, primary care, and health indicators. J Family Practice. 1999;48(4):275–284
  30. Parchman ML, Burge SK. The patient-physician relationship, primary care attributes and preventive services. Family Medicine. 2004;36(1):22–27
  31. Williams C. From coverage to care: exploring links between health insurance, a usual source of care, and access. Policy Brief No. 1. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, September 2002. Available at: http://www.rwjf.org/publications/synthesis/reports_and_briefs/pdf/no1_policybrief.pdf. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  32. Politzer RM, Schempf AH, Starfield B, et al. The future role of health centers in improving national health. J Pub Health Policy. 2003;24(3/4):296–306
  33. National Association of Community Health Centers and The Robert Graham Center. Access denied: a look at America's medically disenfranchised. March 2007. Available at: http://www.nachc.com/research. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  34. The Robert Graham Center. One-Pager #29: The importance of having health insurance and a usual source of care. September 2004. Available at: http://www.graham-center.org/onepager29.xml. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  35. Roby D, Rosenbaum S, Hawkins D, et al. Exploring healthcare quality and effectiveness at federally-funded community health centers: results from thse patient experience evaluation report system (1993-2001). National Association of Community Health Centers. March 2003. Available at: http://www.nachc.com/research/Files/PEERSreportfinal0226.pdf. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  36. McRae T, Stampfly R. An evaluation of the cost effectiveness of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) operating in Michigan. October 2006. Institute for Health Care Studies at Michigan State University. Available at: www.mpca.net. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  37. Falik M, Needleman J, Herbert R, et al. Comparative effectiveness of health centers as regular source of care. J Ambulatory Care Management. 2006;29(1):24–35
  38. Falik M, Needleman J, Wells BL, et al. Ambulatory care sensitive hospitalizations and emergency visits: experiences of Medicaid patients using federally qualified health centers. Medical Care. 2001;39(6):551–556
  39. Center for Health Policy Studies. Utilization and costs to Medicaid of AFDC recipients in New York served and not served by community health centers. Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration; 1994.
  40. Center for Health Policy Studies. Health services utilization and costs to Medicaid of AFDC recipients in California served and not served by community health centers. 1994.
  41. Starfield B, Powe NR, Weiner JR, et al. Costs vs. quality in different types of primary care settings. JAMA. 1994;272(24):1903–1908
  42. Ulmer C, Lewis-Idema D, Von Worley A, et al. Assessing primary care content: four conditions common in community health center practice. J Ambul Care Manage. 2000;23(1):23–38
  43. Porterfield DS, Kinsinger L. Quality of care for uninsured patients with diabetes in a rural area. Diabetes Care. 2002;25(2):319–323
  44. Chin MH, Cook S, Jin L, et al. Barriers to providing diabetes care in community health centers. Diabetes Care. 2001;24(2):268–274
  45. Chin MH, Drum ML, Guillen M, et al. Improving and sustaining diabetes care in community health centers with the health disparities collaboratives. Med Care. 2007;45(12):1135–1143
  46. Shin P, Jones K, Rosenbaum S. Reducing racial and ethnic health disparities: estimating the impact of high health center penetration in low income communities. September 2003. Available at: http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/healthpolicy/chsrp/downloads/GWU_Disparities_Report.pdf. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  47. Politzer RM, Yoon J, Shi L, et al. Inequality in America: the contribution of health centers in reducing and eliminating disparities in access to care. Med Care Res Rev. 2001;58(2):234–248
  48. Institute of Medicine . Unequal treatment: confronting racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences Press; 2003;
  49. Shi L, Regan J, Politzer RM, et al. Community health centers and racial/ethnic disparities in healthy life. Int J Health Serv. 2001;31(3):567–582
  50. Shi L, Stevens GD, Wulu JT, et al. America's health centers: Reducing racial and ethnic disparities in perinatal care and Birth Outcomes, Part I. Health Services Research. 2004;39(6):1881–1901
  51. Government Accountability Office. Health care: Approaches to address racial and ethnic disparities. GAO-03–862R. 2003.
  52. Institute of Medicine . Fostering rapid advances in health care: learning from system demonstrations. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences Press; 2002;
  53. National Association of Community Health Centers, the Robert Graham Center, Capital Link. Access granted: the primary care payoff. August 2007. Available at: http://www.nachc.com/research. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  54. Baker R, Bazargan M, Bazargan-Hejazi S, et al. Access to vision care in an urban low income multiethnic population. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2005;12:1–12
  55. Vitale S, Cotch MF, Sperduto RD. Prevalence of visual impairment in the United States. JAMA. 2006;295:2158–2163
  56. Centers for Disease Control. Improving the Nation's vision health: A coordinated public health approach, 2006. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/vision.pdf. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  57. Prevent Blindness America, National Eye Institute. Vision problems in the U.S. Prevalence of adult vision impairment and age-related eye disease in America, 2002. Available at: http://www.nei.nih.gov/eyedata/pdf/VPUS.pdf. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  58. National Eye Institute. Available at: http://www.healthyvision2010.nei.nih.gov/about_hv/index.asp. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  59. Nerenz DR. Health care organizations' use of race/ethnicity data to address quality disparities. Health Affairs. 2005;24(2):409–416
  60. Munoz B, West SK, Rodriguez J, et al. Blindness, visual impairment and the problem of uncorrected refractive error in a Mexican-American population: Proyecto VER. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002;43:608–614
  61. The Vision in Preschoolers (VIP) Study Group. Comparison of preschool vision screening tests as administered by licensed eye care professionals in the Vision in Preschoolers Study. Ophthalmology 2004;111:637-50. Also available at: http://www.nei.nih.gov/vip/. Last accessed August 8, 2008.
  62. Ganley JP, Robers J. Eye conditions and related need for medical care among persons 1-74 years of age: United States, 1971-1972. Vital Health Stat. 1983;11(228):21
  63. Orfield A. Vision problems of children in poverty in an urban school clinic. Their epidemic numbers impact on learning, and approaches to remediation. Journal of Optometric Vision Development. 2001;32:114–141
  64. Kleinstein R, Jones L, Hullett S, et al. Refractive error and ethnicity in children. Arch Ophthalmol. 2003;121:1141–1147
  65. Kemper AR, Bruckman D, Freed GL. Prevalence and distribution of corrective lenses among school-age children. Optom Vis Sci. 2004;81:7–10
  66. Varma R, Ying-Lai M, Klein R, et al. Prevalence and risk indicators of visual impairment and blindness in Latinos: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Ophthalmology. 2004;111:1132–1140
  67. Tielsch JM, Sommer A, Witt K, et al. Blindness and visual impairment in an American urban population: The Baltimore Eye Survey. Arch Ophthalmol. 1990;108(2):286–290
  68. Gordon MO, Beiser JA, Brandt JD, et al. Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study Group The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study: baseline factors that predict the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol. 2002;120:714–720
  69. Tielsch JM, Sommer A, Katz J, et al. Racial variations in the prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma. The Baltimore Eye Survey. JAMA. 1991;266(3):369–374
  70. Sommer A, Tielsch JM, Katz J, et al. Relationship between intraocular pressure and primary open angle glaucoma among white and black Americans: The Baltimore Eye Survey. Arch Ophthalmol. 1991;109:1090–1095
  71. Rein DB, Zhang P, Wirth KE, et al. The economic burden of major adult visual disorders in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2006;124:1754–1760
  72. Frick KD, Gower EW, Kempen JH, et al. Economic impact of visual impairment and blindness in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2007;125:544–550
  73. American Optometric Association Community Health Center Committee. Affiliations of community health centers with the accredited schools and colleges of optometry in the states and territories of the United States. Optometry. 2008;79:581–586
  74. Cook NL, Hicks LS, O'Malley AJ, et al. Access to specialty care and medical services in community health centers. Health Affairs. 2007;26(5):1459–1468

 Corresponding author: Susan A. Primo, O.D., M.P.H., Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365B Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322. E-mail: sprimo@emory.edu

PII: S1529-1839(08)00403-X

doi: 10.1016/j.optm.2008.04.101

Optometry - Journal of the American Optometric Association
Volume 79, Issue 10 , Pages 564-575 , October 2008

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution