This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gemperline, P. Articles by Osborn, L. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gemperline, P. Articles by Osborn, L. M. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Preventive Health Care Utilization

Prenatal and the First 3 Years in a Utah Population

Departments of Family and Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah and the Bureau of Vital Records, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, Utah

John Brockert, MPH, MS

Departments of Family and Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah and the Bureau of Vital Records, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, Utah

Lucy M. Osborn, MD, MSPH

Departments of Family and Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah and the Bureau of Vital Records, Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake City, Utah

The utilization of preventive health care services prenatally and for children up to 3 years old was determined by mailed questionnaire. The parents surveyed were randomly chosen from birth records provided by the Utah Bureau of Vital Records. "Adequate use of preventive services" was defined as six prenatal visits for a full-term pregnancy and as seven well-child visits during the first 3 years of life.

Responses, received from 219 (36.5%) parents, indicated only 1 percent did not utilize adequate prenatal care. Women made an average of 11.3 visits during their pregnancies; 83 percent saw their prenatal health care provider at least 10 times. Well-child visits were less adequately utilized, an average of 6.3 visits per child. Fifty-six percent made fewer than seven visits; only 23 percent made all of the nine visits recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Patients who made seven or more well-child visits were more likely to have received their fourth diptheria, pertussis, tetanus (DTP) immunization and to have health insurance policies that paid for preventive health care services.

Results indicate that families use preventive services more consistently before the birth of their children than after. Use of preventive services is associated with adequate insurance coverage and results in more thorough immunization.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?