Educational outcomes and illness behaviors of participants in a child-initiated care system: a 12-year follow-up study.
Young adults who participated as children in a study of child-initiated care from 1972 to 1974 and their parents were studied again in 1986. More than 80% of all parents were located and interviewed. Of the 260 young persons located, 71% responded to a questionnaire. Although there was no significant association between being a frequent user of health care in either 1972 to 1973 or 1973 to 1974 and use of care 12 years later, girls who or 1973 to 1974 and use of care 12 years later, girls who were consistently frequent care users in both school years had a similar pattern of use as young women in 1986. Frequent users as children and young adults had a greater prevalence of headaches and stomachaches, but at both ages boys were less likely to seek care when faced with complaints or perceived health problems. A significant association was found between consistently frequent care use as a child and subsequent academic problems as a young adult. The importance of identifying children with chronic complaints (unrelated to physical causes) and helping them to deal with the true sources of their distress are emphasized by the data.
Lewis
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Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 90024.
Lewis
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D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010358:Patient Participation; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012572:School Health Services