| While all
children need regular preventive care and care when they are sick,
and all parents share concerns for their children’s health
and safety, the health issues faced by children in rural areas may
differ from those of urban children. This section presents information
on children’s health status, their health care, and their
activities in and outside of school. Taken together, these measures
present a snapshot of children’s health and well-being that
reflects a wide range of aspects of their lives.
Children’s health status was measured through
parents’ reports of their children’s overall health
status as well as whether they had moderate or severe health or
socio-emotional problems. In addition, parents were asked about
their children’s injuries and their concerns about their children’s
development and behavior.
Children’s access to health care and parents’
satisfaction with the health care their children receive were measured
through questions about children’s health insurance coverage
and their use of preventive medical and dental services. Several
survey questions were also combined to assess whether children had
a “medical home,” a source of primary care that is accessible,
family-centered, continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate,
and culturally effective.1
Children’s participation in activities in school
and in the community represents another important aspect of their
well-being. The survey addressed whether school-aged children had
ever repeated a grade and whether they were ever left home alone.
In addition, parents were asked about their children’s participation
in physical activities on a regular basis.
1 American Academy of Pediatrics, Medical
Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs Project Advisory
Committee. The medical home. Pediatrics 2002;110(1):184-86. |
