About the Institute . . .

469 ABOUT THE INSTITUTE... The Institute on Health Care for the Poor and Underserved was established to help address the ironic paradox that, in a country that devotes more money per capita to health care than does any nation on earth, more than 30 million people still lack adequate health protection. Despite a vast commitment of resources, the cost of care b soaring, health care in medically underserved rural and urban communities b limited, and the quality of care b not always reliable. These problems weigh heaviest on the poor, the elderly, those who face a catastrophic illness, and the millions who are uninsured or underinsured. We at Meharry Medical College believe deeply in health care for all. As the largest single private institution for the education of Black health professionab in the United States, Meharry trains physicians and dentists who practice largely in medically underserved inner-city and rural areas. In 1988, to further focus attention on the health of and health care for underserved populations, Meharry formed the nonprofit Institute on Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. The institute aims to solve problems by bringing together health professionab, disseminating critical information, and serving as a focal point for research news. Because the bsues that surround health care are complex, the scope of the Institute b broad, encompassing diverse concerns such as the cost of health care; federal, state, and local laws; service delivery and access thereto; bureaucratic regulations and procedures; and individual and group behaviors. The principal activities of the Institute are fivefold: operating a national clearinghouse, convening annual conferences and meetings, publbhing a quarterly journal, establishing and supporting local demonstration projects, and engaging in health services research. The Institute on Health Care for the Poor and Underserved relies on the generosity of public and private funders who share its mission. Contributions to the Institute are tax deductible. In the next bsue of the journal: • Primary Care Use by Specialty Clinic Patients at a County Hospital • Hypertension in Community-EHvelling African American Elders From a Statewide Study: Implications for Nonpharmacological Therapy • Improving Prenatal Care Services for Low-Income African American Women and Infants • Implementing Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Programs Among the Houma Indians of Southern Louisiana: Cultural and Ethical Considerations • Predictors of Cervical Cancer Screening in Mexican American Women of Reproductive Age ...