Factors associated with not having a personal health care provider for children in Florida

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• National guidelines emphasize consistent primary care for optimal child health assessment, diagnosis, and monitoring.
• A personal health care provider is crucial for continuity of care and early detection of health issues.
• Identifying children without consistent medical providers is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the characteristics of children in Florida who lack a personal health care provider.
• To understand the demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with lacking consistent medical care for children in Florida.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Florida data (N = 2116) from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health.
• Utilized bivariate and multivariate statistical methods to analyze the outcome variable: having a personal doctor or nurse.
• Examined risk factors including health insurance status, poverty levels, age groups, and ethnicity.

Main Results:

• 20.1% of Florida children (0-17 years) lack a personal health care provider, exceeding the US average of 16.7%.
• Key risk factors for lacking a provider include no health insurance, family poverty (all levels), ages 5-17, and Hispanic ethnicity.
• Identified risk factors were consistent across both Florida and national models.

Conclusions:

• The absence of a personal health care provider for children is linked to broader societal issues: health insurance access, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.
• Achieving universal access to a personal health care provider necessitates a comprehensive, multifaceted strategy.
• This research provides critical data for Florida's policymakers, program planners, and evaluators to address disparities in children's healthcare access.