Wirth,Whiskey, and WASP's: Some Consequences of Community Size for Alcohol Use*†

Several themes in Wirth's “Urbanism as a Way of Life” generate the prediction that alcohol use (versus nonuse) will be more widespread among residents of urban areas. Multiple regression analysis of data from two recent national polls (1966, 1968) reveals support for this prediction. With eight other key sociological variables simultaneously controlled, the greater the urbanism of a community (measured in terms of community size), the greater the proportion of alcohol users it contains. To make certain that this association is due to urban conditions (as opposed to merely the absence of rural forces which encourage abstinence), the effects of rural forces are reduced by omitting the most rural categories of the community size measure of urbanism, and the data are reexamined. The association still persists, basically because of the larger proportion of middle to upper status, white, and Protestant alcohol users in the more urban areas.     

Improving access to health care for foster children: the Illinois model

Children in foster care have lower health status than do their peers and limited access to health care. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services developed HealthWorks, a separate primary care preferred provider system for children in foster care. This study compared claims data for children in HealthWorks with children not enrolled in HealthWorks and with children in Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) who had never entered foster care. Children enrolled in HealthWorks were more likely than were other children to receive all of the services except general inpatient hospitalizations. They had greater odds of receiving general exams and physicians' services and were more likely to visit the emergency room than children who were not enrolled. They were more likely to receive all of the measured services when compared with children receiving Medicaid through AFDC.     

Planning for the delivery of special services in public schools : A multidimensional needs assessment framework

Public Law 94–142 requires that public school districts provide special service programs to handicapped and potentially handicapped children with diverse psychological, educational, and physical needs. In order for such programs to be developed and implemented in an appropriate and timely manner, procedures for assessment of pupil needs as well as assessment of school district resources that might address those needs, have been considered as important service delivery prerequisites. Toward that end, a Multidimensional Needs Assessment Framework, which has been developed by the authors and used in numerous public schools, is described in this paper. The Framework, which allows needs assessment to be seen as an integral part of the program planning process, requires that needs assessment and program planning activities occur in relation to three distinct, yet interrelated dimensions: Special Service Recipients, Special Service Resources, and Organizational Unit. Considerations necessary for design and implementation of needs assessment using the Framework are discussed, and suggestions for further development of the approach are noted.