Socio-economic differences in daycare arrangements and use of medical care and antibiotics in Swedish preschool children.
In this study we describe socio-economic patterns of daycare enrolment, medical care and antibiotics in children, 0-5 y, whose parents participated in the Swedish Survey of Living Conditions 1996-97. Children in families with low socio-economic status and unemployed parents were less often enrolled in out-of-home care. Multivariate analyses (adjusted for various sociodemographic indicators, type of daycare and chronic morbidity) demonstrated that children 1-5 y in families with low social status (low parental education and/or low SES) were less likely to have paid a visit to a physician because of an acute infection during the previous 3 mo [odds ratio (OR) 0.6 (0.4-0.8)] or to have consumed antibiotics during the previous 12 mo [OR 0.8 (0.6-1.0)] compared to children with a higher social status. Children in out-of-home care more often had paid a visit to a physician because of an acute infection during the previous 3 mo [OR 1.5 (1.2-1.9)] and more often had consumed antibiotics during the previous 12 mo [OR 1.7 (1.3-2.1)] than children in home care. The effect of out-of-home care on use of medical care and antibiotics decreased with increasing age of the child, and deviated from the null hypothesis in children 1-3 y only.


CONCLUSIONS
Preschool children in families with a low social status consume less medical care and are less likely to attend out-of-home care compared to children with a higher social status in Swedish society. This inequity needs to be addressed in social and health policy.
Hjern
A
A
Department of Clinical Sciences, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Haglund
B
B
Rasmussen
F
F
Rosén
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002656:Child Day Care Centers / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents