Optimum graphic presentation of this site requires a modern standards-friendly browser. The browser or PDA you are using may not display exactly as intended, but you will still be able to access all of our content. For more information, see About This Site. Why upgrade? Click here to see how this site's homepage displays with a modern browser.

• The Arts
• Child Policy
• Civil Justice
• Education
• Energy & Environment
• Health & Health Care
• International Affairs
• National Security
• Population & Aging
• Public Safety
• Science & Technology
• Substance Abuse
• Terrorism & Homeland Security
• Transportation & Infrastructure
• Workforce & Workplace

Hot Topics

• Afghanistan
• China
• Climate Change
• Health Care Access and Quality
• Iraq
• No Child Left Behind and Student Achievement
• Nation-Building and Diplomacy
• Pakistan
• The Presidential Transition

More »

Contributing RAND Research Divisions and Programs

• Center for Domestic and International Health Security
• Drug Policy Research Center
• RAND Europe
• RAND Global Health Program
• RAND Gulf States Policy Institute
• RAND Health
• RAND Institute for Civil Justice
• RAND Labor and Population
• Science and Technology Policy Institute
• Military Health
• RAND Arroyo Center
• RAND National Defense Research Institute

Support Our Work

Five ways you can make a difference:

1. Donate Now
2. Buy a Book
3. Stay Informed
4. Tell a Friend
5. Utilize RAND's Services

Health and Health Care

Several divisions at RAND, including RAND Health, contribute to health and health care research. Results are available to the public through the RAND Health Database. View all Health and Health Care Documents Available Online or find general information at Reports and Bookstore.

More »Featured Research

Weight Loss Surgery May Help Obese Women Avoid Pregnancy-Related Health Complications — Nov. 18, 2008

Obese women who have weight loss surgery before becoming pregnant have a lower risk of pregnancy-related health problems and their children are less likely to be born with complications.

News ReleaseRead Abstract

Benefit-Cost Analysis Rarely Captures the Full Economic Value of Social Programs — Nov. 12, 2008

This study assesses the state of the art in determining the economic value of social programs for use in benefit-cost analysis (BCA). It finds that rarely are the benefits of social programs consistently or accurately monetized and suggests ways to advance the use of BCA in evaluating social programs' economic returns.

Full Document

More »Featured Project

Child Policy Experts Answer Your Questions about Preventing Low Birth Weight in Infants — Oct. 29, 2008

Recent data suggest that the rate of LBW infants born in the United States has reached its highest level in almost 30 years. In a current project of RAND's Promising Practices Network, readers are invited to submit questions to three leading child and maternal health experts about dealing with this serious public health challenge.

Read More

View All »Related News & Commentary

November 18, 2008: Weight Loss Surgery May Help Obese Women Avoid Pregnancy-Related Health Complications

October 30, 2008: Creating Health ID Numbers Could Improve Patient Privacy, By Richard Hillestad (The Hill)

October 20, 2008: Creating Unique Health ID Numbers Would Facilitate Improved Health Care Quality and Efficiency

September 28, 2008: War's Invisible Wounds, By Terry L. Schell, Terri Tanielian, Lisa H. Jaycox (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

September 23, 2008: Army Can Boost Mission Success by Better Managing Environmental Considerations

View All »Featured Reports

The State and Pattern of Health Information Technology Adoption Helps focus the policy agenda for incentives to speed Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) adoption by estimating the current level and pattern of HIT adoption in the different types of healthcare organizations, according to information the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)-Dorenfest database, and evaluates factors that affect this diffusion process, using existing empirical studies and regression analysis. Full Document

Securing Health: Lessons from Nation-Building Missions RAND researchers analyzed the health components of seven post–World War II nation-building efforts conducted after major conflicts-Germany, Japan, Somalia, Haiti, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq-and found that two factors are correlated with successful health outcomes: planning and coordination, and infrastructure and resources. Full Document