title: Community health events for enrolling uninsured into public health insurance programs: implications for health reform.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether enrollment events may serve as a venue to identify eligible individuals, enroll them into health insurance programs, and educate them about the changes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will bring about.
  
  
  METHODS
  More than 2900 surveys were administered to attendees of 7 public health insurance enrollment events in California. Surveys were used to identify whether participants had any change in understanding of health reform after participating in the event.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half of attendees at nearly all events had no knowledge about health reform before attending the event. On average, more than 80% of attendees knew more about health reform following the event and more than 80% believed that the law would benefit their families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Enrollment events can serve as an effective method to educate the public on health reform. Further research is recommended to explore in greater detail the impact community enrollment events can have on expanding public understanding of health reform.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles (Mr Cheng, Ms Tsai, and Dr Cousineau); The California Endowment, Los Angeles (Ms Nascimento); and USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, Los Angeles (Dr Cousineau).
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Kai-ya
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Lori M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cousineau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002140:California; D004608:Eligibility Determination / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D008875:Middle Aged; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States