NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When mothers suffer from depression, their children are more likely to develop behavioral problems -- but fathers can prevent this from happening, new research suggests.

In a study that followed a large group of U.S. children over 10 years, researchers found that those whose mothers had depression symptoms were more likely to develop "externalizing" behavior problems, like fighting with their peers.

However, the study found, fathers who were close to their children were able to buffer them against the effects of their mothers' depression.

This means that a father's "active and positive involvement" may help shield his child against the effects of maternal depression, lead study author Dr. Jen Jen Chang of Saint Louis University told Reuters Health.

The findings, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, are based on data from a national study that followed 6,552 mother/child pairs from 1992 to 2002 .....Full Story

Providing minority patients a "medical home" in which they have a regular doctor or health professional who oversees and coordinates their care would help eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities and promote more health care equity, says a new report from The Commonwealth Fund. The report, based on a 2006 survey of more than 2,830 adults, shows that linking minority patients with a health care setting that offers timely, well-organized care where they can routinely seek physicians and medical advice can help them better manage chronic conditions and obtain critical preventive care services.

According to the report, Closing the Divide: How Medical Homes Promote Equity in Health Care, in 2006 nearly one-half of Hispanics and more than one of four African Americans were uninsured at some point during the year. In contrast, 21 percent of whites and 18 percent of Asian Americans lacked coverage .....Full Story