The consequences of welfare reform for women's health: issues of concern for community health nursing

Community health nurses confront the health effects of public policies on a daily basis, particularly with respect to low-income populations. Despite this, the effects of public policies are often attributed to problems that are more proximal in the environment than the broad-ranging scope of "public policy." This article argues the need for a broader perspective of environment that encompasses public policies, and provides an example of how specific aspects (time limits and the Medicaid eligibility process) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 may have harmful consequences for the health of low-income women. Finally, implications for community health nursing practice and the need for further nursing research are reviewed.