Primary care involvement among hospitalized children

Article Abstract:

Patterns of primary care interaction and rates of hospitalization for children seem to vary by city. Researchers compared these patterns for 1,875 children hospitalized in Rochester, NY, Boston, MA, and New Haven, CT for abdominal pain, asthma, head injuries, lower respiratory tract disease, or swallowing poisonous substances. Most of the hospitalized children (85.7%) had an identified primary care provider. Primary care interaction was the highest for patients from Rochester with 59% visiting the provider within 72 hours of hospitalization, 56.8% receiving the provider's referral for hospitalization, and 81.5% identifying the provider as the attending physician during hospitalization. One-half to two-thirds of the patients in New Haven and Boston who identified health maintenance organizations (HMOs) as their primary care provider had high rates of primary care interaction before and during hospitalization. However, HMO patients in Rochester had low rates of primary care interaction.

Medical care, Medical care utilization, Hospitalization

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Identification of psychosocial problems in pediatric primary care: do family attitudes make a difference?

Article Abstract:

Parents appear to be much more likely to discuss a child's annoying habits with a pediatrician than a child's peer and social relationship problems. Researchers surveyed 1,886 families with young children about hypothetical behavioral, social, and emotional problems in children. Eighty-one percent of parents felt it was appropriate to discuss most of the issues with the child's pediatrician, but only 41% actually discussed such problems when they arose in their own children. When a problem existed, 60% of parents reported habits, but only 22% reported social difficulties to the doctor.

Psychological aspects, Beliefs, opinions and attitudes, Behavior disorders in children, Childhood mental disorders, Parents, Problem children, Physician services utilization

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Health care and hospitalizations of young children born to cocaine-using women

Article Abstract:

Children born to cocaine-using mothers appear more likely to be born prematurely, and to receive less adequate preventive health care in early childhood. Researchers compared 139 children exposed to cocaine with similar nonexposed infants and found that 23% of cocaine-exposed children and 6% of nonexposed children were premature. In the first two years of life, the cocaine-exposed children were less likely to have preventive health care or vaccinations, but more likely to be hospitalized. Cocaine-using mothers may be less likely to provide adequate health care for their children.

Health aspects, Drug abusers, Children of drug addicts, Drug abuse in pregnancy

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