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Published on: August 25, 2014
Prevalence and characteristics of children with special health care needs
Peter C van Dyck1, Michael D Kogan, Merle G McPherson
1Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration/NIH, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, USA.
Insights
Approximately 12.8% of US children have special health care needs (SHCNs), with many facing unmet needs and significant family burdens. Disparities in care access and satisfaction are evident, particularly for low-income and uninsured children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health Services Research
- Public Health Surveillance
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Children with Special Health Care Needs (SHCNs) are a critical population, yet comprehensive national data on their prevalence and needs were previously lacking.
- Understanding SHCNs is vital for healthcare services, economic planning, and policy development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish national prevalence estimates for SHCNs in US children.
- To characterize the demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with SHCNs.
- To assess the extent to which the healthcare needs of these children are being met and the impact on families.
Main Methods:
- Utilized telephone interviews with 38,866 families of children under 18 with SHCNs.
- Employed the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey (SLAITS) platform.
- Collected data on SHCN prevalence, access to care, family satisfaction, and family impact.
Main Results:
- An estimated 12.8% of US children had SHCNs in 2001, with higher prevalence in boys, school-aged children, and lower-income families.
- 17.7% experienced unmet health needs, and 33.5% lacked family-centered care elements.
- Significant financial strain (20.9%) and work disruptions (29.9%) were reported by families, disproportionately affecting low-income and uninsured children.
Conclusions:
- Children with SHCNs and their families constitute an underserved population facing considerable challenges.
- Substantial disparities exist in healthcare access, patient satisfaction, and the overall impact on families.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to address the unique needs of this population.
Background:
Children with special health care needs (SHCNs) are an important population from health care services, economic, and policy perspectives. However, until recently, no national data on their prevalence and health care service needs that use a commonly accepted definition have existed.
Objective:
To provide national estimates of the number of children with SHCNs and their characteristics, including an assessment of how well their needs are being met.
Setting:
The United States.
Participants:
Interviews were conducted by telephone with the families of 38 866 children with SHCNs younger than 18 years using the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey platform developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga.
Main Outcome Measures:
Prevalence of SHCNs, demographic and socioeconomic correlates of SHCNs, access to care, satisfaction with care, and impact on the family.
Results:
An estimated 12.8% of US children experienced an SHCN in 2001. Prevalence was highest among boys, school-age children, and children in lower-income families. A substantial minority of these children experienced unmet health needs (17.7%) or lacked critical elements of family-centered health care (33.5%). The impact on families was pronounced, as 20.9% reported their child's health care caused financial problems, and 29.9% reported cutting back or quitting work because of their child's condition. These adverse child- and family-level impacts were concentrated among low-income and uninsured children with SHCNs.
Conclusions:
Children with SHCNs and their families represent an important underserved population. In addition, substantial disparities are present in access, satisfaction, and family impact.
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