Assessing mothers' attitudes about the physician's role in child health promotion.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed maternal attitudes about the physician's role in child health promotion.


METHODS
Home interviews were conducted with 200 Massachusetts mothers (with one child age 2 to 3 years) enrolled in a health maintenance organization.


RESULTS
Mothers chose growth and nutrition, physical development, and illness as the most important topics and felt that providers have the ability to prevent problems and to help. Psychosocial and safety issues were less important, although mothers felt susceptible to these issues and believed they greatly affected children's health.


CONCLUSIONS
On all issues, mothers believed physicians were more effective in helping families after, not before, problems arose. The Health Belief Model provided insight into attitudes and possible interventions.
Cheng
T L
TL
Department of General Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Savageau
J A
JA
Bigelow
C
C
Charney
E
E
Kumar
S
S
DeWitt
T G
TG
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010819:Physician's Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires