Staff: Barbara J. LaClair, M.H.A. | Kansas Health Institute

Barbara J. LaClair, M.H.A., Senior Analyst, conducts and analyzes research on public and population health issues. LaClair formerly was a consultant, providing analytic, research and writing services on projects related to public health, hunger and sustainable food systems. Prior to that, she worked as a research health scientist for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Topeka and as a senior research analyst for the Kansas Health Institute. LaClair earned a master's degree in health services administration from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wichita State University.

Work by Barbara

Kansans Not Following Nutrition Guidelines: Findings from the Kansas Health and Nutrition Survey

A look at how well Kansans’ nutritional intake conforms to the national recommended dietary guidelines.

Federal Funding of Public Health Activities in Kansas

This report investigates how the levels of federal public health funding in Kansas compare with those in other states and identifies areas in which Kansas may have opportunities to expand funding.

Understanding the Health of Kansas Children

There are many serious risks to a child’s health. Health risks are influenced by individual, family, neighborhood, school and community factors, as well as the physical environment. Effective economic, educational and health policies are also important to reduce children’s risk for illness and injury.

The Growing Consequences of Inadequate Health Insurance

While much attention has been devoted to uninsured Kansans, far less has been focused on the emerging problem of underinsurance. But recent research has begun to shed light on it.

Issue Brief: The Growing Health and Financial Costs of Inadequate Health Insurance

This introduction to the issue of underinsurance discusses the difficulty in determining what constitutes underinsurance and alerts policymakers to issues they should consider when addressing this issue.

Children's Enrollment in Kansas Public Health Insurance Programs Since the Introduction of HealthWave

This Issue Brief is the first in a series of reports from the Kansas HealthWave Evaluation Project, a three-year evaluation of HealthWave, Kansas' State Children's Health Insurance program.

Report: Environmental Health Issues in Kansas - An Overview

The environment in which we live can affect our health. Environmental hazards can contribute to the development of health conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, lead poisoning and cancer.

Bioterrorism and Emergency Response Preparedness of Local Health Departments in Kansas: 2003

KHI collaborated with the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to assess the capacity of local health departments to respond to public health emergencies, including bioterrorism events.

Do Children Enrolling in Public Health Insurance Have Other Options?

This brief is part of a series that summarized findings from a comprehensive evaluation of the State Children's Insurance Program. It describes prior health insurance coverage of children entering SCHIP, as well as current coverage within their families.

Who Are the Children Enrolling in SCHIP and Medicaid?

This is the first in a series of Research Briefs by the Kansas Health Institute summarizing findings from a comprehensive evaluation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. This brief describes characteristics of children entering SCHIP and Medicaid, as well as characteristics of their families.

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