Although this isn't a problem with the health of women, it can lead to health problems because many women can't get the right health services, medicines, and supplies when they need them. Some reasons include:

* They can't pay for it and don't have health insurance.
* They have no way to get to a doctor.
* They have physical limitations that make it hard to get to a doctor.
* They don't understand the language.

There are a lot of reasons why there are differences in health among women. Lack of health insurance is a major stumbling block to health care for African American women. Compared with White women, African American women are twice as likely to lack health insurance. Below are resources for women to help them get health care services.

Publications

1. Choosing and Using a Health Plan - This booklet can help you make sense of your choices for getting health care insurance.

2. Guide for Patients and Families Improving Health Care Quality - This Guide is based on research about the information consumers want and need when making decisions about health plans, doctors, treatments, hospitals and long-term care. It is part of the Department's (DHHS) efforts to address the findings of the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry, released in March 1998.

3. Health Care Quality - This Internet site will help you better understand and use information on health care quality by learning what the experts look at when they measure health care quality and ways to find out how a particular plan, doctor, or hospital measures up in comparison to others.

4. Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among African Americans (Copyright © KFF) - This publication contains information on the disparities in health care for African Americans as compared to white women, why this occurs, and what is being done to fix the problem.

5. Insure Kids Now - This web site, part of the Children's Health Insurance Program outreach, contains information about your state's low-cost or free insurance programs for children through 18 years of age. This site contains state contact information and on-line video messages in both English and Spanish.

6. Mastering the Maze: Taking Control of Your Health Care (Copyright © CAP) - This publication serves as a guide to help people better choose and use health care and includes information on how to protect yourself, choosing coverage, choosing your doctor, and a glossary of terminology.

Organizations

1. Administration for Children and Families

2. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Clearinghouse, AHRQ, OPHS, HHS

3. American Hospital Association

4. Black Women's Health Online

5. Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA, HHS

6. CDC's WISEWOMAN™ - Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation

7. Health Resources Services Administration Information Center

8. Office of Minority Health Resource Center, OMH, OPHS, OS, HHS

9. Office on Women's Health, HHS