These Data Vignettes were developed by the National Center for Cultural Competence to put faces and names to the data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. The stories are composites from many families and do not represent any specific family or child.
These vignettes can be used to increase understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in achieving the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s Six Core Outcomes for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs. They can be used for personal learning and development or to augment curricula and training activities for health care providers, policy makers, public health professionals, researchers and agency staff. Each vignette contains links to additional resources related to concepts discussed and a set of questions for discussion.
Juan and Silvia had little experience with the health care system in the United States. In their home country, people only went to the doctor when they were very sick.
Tammy’s son, William, was born very early—at 29 weeks of her pregnancy. He spent weeks in the intensive care nursery. Tammy had to return to work before he could come home.
Carol remembered liking school when she was in kindergarten. Her teacher was so nice, and it was fun to come and play with the other kids in the class.
Note: Data reported in these vignettes from the 2005/2006 or the 2009/2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs were provided by the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative of the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DRC). Christina Bethell, PhD, MPH, MBA, Director of the CAHMI and Kathleen Newton, CAHMI Senior Research Assistant have provided technical assistance in analysis and reporting of that data
