title: A comparison of the perceived health needs of Amish and non-Amish families in Cashton, Wisc.
abstract: Cashton area residents were queried on past health care experiences and asked their opinions of services that could be provided at the Scenic Bluffs Community Health Center (SBCHC) in Cashton. A questionnaire addressed to both Amish and non-Amish residents featured five main areas: (1) additional services and health care providers that might supplement existing services at SBCHC; (2) opinions on establishing a birthing center; (3) mothers' past history with the birth and care of children, including immunization use; (4) respondents' past use of health care; and (5) perceived barriers to receiving health care. Both Amish and non-Amish respondents agreed that walk-in care, dental care, and 24-hour telephone access to a provider were important services to be added, and that a dentist, chiropractor, and pharmacist would be valuable. While both Amish and non-Amish favored the idea of a birthing center, their reasons for supporting it differed. It was also found that routine preventive care was used much more by the non-Amish than the Amish population. Common barriers to health care for both groups included cost of care, appointment availability, and waiting time for appointments.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin Medical School, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Slesinger
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Raftery
mesh_terms: D002835:Christianity; D003469:Culture; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014922:Wisconsin