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http://www.researchforum.org/project_general_138.html |
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Health Effects of Welfare Reform on Children with Chronic Illness
General Information
View a brief abstract of this project.
| Evaluator(s) |
Boston Medical Center, Division of General Pediatrics |
| Investigator(s) |
Paul H. Wise
(Boston Medical Center, Division of General Pediatrics)
Lauren A. Smith (Boston Medical Center, Division of General Pediatrics) |
| Domain |
Income Security/TANF |
| Status | Completed with continuing analysis |
| Duration | Jun 1998 - Dec 1999 |
| Type |
Research and/or Program Evaluation |
| Program/Policy Description | Since children make up the majority of TANF recipients, we believe that it is crucial to consider how welfare reform may affect them. We are focusing on children with the chronic illnesses of asthma and sickle cell anemia since this population is potentially more vulnerable than other children. We are specifically interested in monitoring two provisions of welfare reform in Massachusetts - work requirements and the 2 year time limit - because we believe that these provisions may have a substantial impact on families. The specific objectives are: 1) description of the welfare reform experience of families with children aged 3-16 years who have asthma or sickle cell anemia; 2) assessment of children's health status in relation to welfare experience, including work requirements, and work status of their primary caretaker; and 3) assessment of children's health status before and after benefit termination. |
| Notes | We expect to have preliminary findings from our baseline interviews by the end of December, 1998. |
| Last Updated | 10/26/98 |
| Type of Summary | Unreviewed |
| Contact(s) |
Lauren A. Smith (Lauren.Smith@bmc.org)
Boston Medical Center, Division of General Pediatrics 91 E. Concord Street Maternity Building, Rm 421 (T) (617) 414-7911 (F) (617) 414-3679 |
| Submitter(s) |
Lauren A. Smith (Lauren.Smith@bmc.org)
Boston Medical Center, Division of General Pediatrics 91 E. Concord Street Maternity Building, Rm 421 (T) (617) 414-7911 (F) (617) 414-3679 |
Populations Studied
| Target Population |
Recipients/participants/clients Former recipients ("leavers") Low-income households |
| Subgroups Analyzed |
Single parent families Two-parent families Immigrants Children 1-6 |
| Sample Size and Unit | We are interviewing families of children, aged 3-16 years, who have asthma or sickle cell anemia. Target sample size is 350 families. We are obtaining baseline information on health status, welfare experience, work experience, and family hardship. Follow-up information will be obtained in 6 and 12 months. |
| Execution | Current status: as of October 20, we have interviewed 184 families, with a response rate of approximately 90%. |
Sites Studied
Boston Medical Center, Boston, MassachusettsProgram Components, Policies, and Activities Evaluated
Employment activities
Financial disincentives/Sanctions
Time limits
Family caps
| Variation in program components across sites? | No |
Outcomes Assessed
Health/ physical well-being (including prenatal health)
Employment
Types of Studies
| Type | Descriptive/Analytical Study |
| Type | Impact Study (Quasi-experiment with non-equivalent control groups) |
| Type | Impact Study (Quasi-experiment with pre-post time periods) |
Data Sources
| Source | Interview |
| Source | Survey |
| Source | Administrative data |
Findings Available
Not Yet AvailableRecommendations
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