[Families of the economic crisis in paediatric Primary Care clinics: descriptive observational study]
R Martín Martín1, M Sánchez Bayle2, C Gancedo García3
1Centro de Salud Reina Victoria, Madrid, España.
Insights
The economic crisis disproportionately affected low-income families, impacting medication adherence, food expenditure, and vaccination rates. Unemployment also increased family health problems, exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities.
Area of Science:
- Socioeconomic impacts of economic crises
- Public health and primary care
- Health disparities
Background:
- Economic crises can significantly affect household resources and well-being.
- Primary Health Care settings serve as crucial touchpoints for monitoring family health.
- Socioeconomic status is a known determinant of health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of the economic crisis on families utilizing Primary Health Care.
- To examine the relationship between socioeconomic status and these impacts.
Main Methods:
- An observational descriptive study involving 453 parent questionnaires from children aged 1-7.
- Data collected from four pediatric clinics in Madrid.
- Multivariate analysis to identify significant relationships between variables.
Main Results:
- Lower income and education levels were linked to non-acquisition of prescribed medication.
- Reduced food expenditure was associated with lower income and larger family size.
- Higher income and education, and non-immigrant status were linked to higher anti-pneumococcal vaccination rates.
- Unemployment, lower education, and lower income correlated with increased family health problems during the crisis.
Conclusions:
- The economic crisis exacerbated health inequalities, with the lowest income groups being most affected.
- Reduced food expenditure was linked to lower education and larger family size.
- Immigrant status was associated with lower vaccination rates for anti-pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines.
- Unemployment significantly increased family health issues, highlighting the crisis's broad socioeconomic impact.
Objective:
To study the impact of the economic crisis on the families of the children who attend Primary Health Care and its relationship with their socioeconomic status.
Patients And Methods:
Observational descriptive study was conducted by analysing the results of 453 questionnaires, given to the parents of children between 1 and 7 years old who attended 4 paediatric clinics in Madrid. The raw data was analysed, and comparisons between groups and multivariate analysis were performed.
Results:
In the multivariate analysis, the variables related to the non-acquisition of prescribed medication are: lower income level OR=0.118, p<.0001 and lower educational level OR=0.464, p<.001; the variables related to the reduction of food expenditure are: lower income level OR=0.100, p<.0001 and a higher number of family members OR=1.308, p=.045; the variables related to anti-pneumococcal vaccination without public funding are: higher income level OR=2.170, p=.0001, higher educational level OR=1.835, p=.013, and not being an immigrant OR=0.532, p=.037. The presence of health problems from the beginning of the economic crisis is related to unemployment OR=4.079, p=.032, lower educational level R=0.678, p=.042, and income level OR=0.342, p<.0001. In all cases, the models achieved a statistical significance of p<.0001.
Conclusions:
The economic crisis has greater impact on the group with the lowest income level in all analysed variables. The lower educational level and higher number of family members has an impact on the reduction in food expenditure. The fact of being an immigrant has an impact on not receiving the anti-pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccination. Unemployment leads to an increase in health problems in the family. To sum up, the economic crisis has increased inequalities according to socioeconomic status.
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