Understanding non-attendance in outpatient paediatric clinics

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Missed outpatient appointments are common, with limited research on underlying causes.
• Failure to attend clinic appointments can negatively impact children's future health outcomes.
• Understanding parental decision-making regarding pediatric appointments is crucial for improving healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the reasons behind missed outpatient appointments in a pediatric setting.
• To analyze parental decision-making processes regarding appointment attendance.
• To assess the impact of missed appointments on children's ongoing health supervision.

Main Methods:

• In-depth interviews with parents of children who missed appointments and those who attended.
• Review of appointment systems at a district general hospital and a regional referral center.
• Assessment of children's ongoing healthcare needs following missed appointments.

Main Results:

• High rates of missed appointments: 23% of first and 35% of subsequent appointments at the district general hospital.
• Parental decisions to attend were based on perceived risks and benefits, primarily influenced by perceived illness severity.
• A significant proportion (21/34) of children who missed appointments still required follow-up, with many subsequently attending for care.

Conclusions:

• Children not attending outpatient appointments are at risk of preventable health issues.
• Strategies are needed to either ensure clinic attendance or provide alternative pediatric health supervision.
• Parental perception of illness severity is a critical factor influencing appointment adherence in pediatric care.