Women, black legislators help child health

ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 20 (UPI) -- A U.S. study has shown that women and black state legislators are more likely to put forth children's health bills, but overall, the priority ranks low.

Researchers at the University of Michigan analyzed over 9,800 bills introduced in three state legislatures over two years, finding only two-thirds of 1 percent of the bills pertained to children's health -- or 11 percent of all health bills.

Women were more than twice as likely than their male counterparts to back child health bills, and members of the Black Caucus of state legislatures in Michigan, Colorado and Louisiana also were more likely to introduce relating bills, the researchers said.

"States have a great deal of power in children's health issues, including discretion over ... programs for disadvantaged and disabled children," said lead researcher Dr. Matthew Davis. "Children's healthcare may not be as expensive as other priorities facing legislatures, but there is great opportunity to protect children through state action."