Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Which sources of child health advice do parents follow?
Kathryn L Moseley1, Gary L Freed, Susan D Goold
1Division of General Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0456, USA. klmosele@med.umich.edu
Background:
Parents consult other child health information sources in addition to the pediatrician. There are little data describing which of these sources parents are likely to follow.
Methods:
The authors surveyed 543 parents of patients in 6 pediatric practices in southeast Michigan shortly after an office visit to determine the degree to which parents report following advice from 7 common child health sources on a scale from 1 (don't follow at all) to 7 (follow completely).
Results:
Pediatrician advice was more completely followed than other sources with mothers a distant second. Although 96% of parents used the Internet to find child health information, few followed most of the advice found there. White parents were 3 times more likely than African Americans to follow advice from television and newspapers.
Conclusion:
Parents rely on child health advice from the pediatrician and their mother. Other sources are consulted but not widely followed.
Related Concept Videos
Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Preventive Healthcare Services
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
