[Characteristics of morbidity in school-age children in families at social risk].
BACKGROUND
Social and economic circumstances have a significant influence on children's health. The health status differs from country to country and it depends on gross national product. The aim of the study was to investigate characteristics of morbidity of school children from disadvantaged families.


METHODS
The study included 232 school children from disadvantaged families who were hospitalized at the Institute of Child and Adolescents Health Care in Novi Sad during a five year period. Disadvantaged families are those with the following risk factors: low income, parents who are not able to comply with parenthood, unsuitable parents, single parent. Discharge diagnoses were analyzed. Diagnoses of children from disadvantaged families were compared with diagnoses of other hospitalized children.


RESULTS
School children from disadvantaged families were significantly more often hospitalized because of infectious diseases, parasitic infections, mental disorders, neurologic disorders, symptoms, signs and undefined conditions, poisonings and injuries than children from families without social risks. School children from disadvantaged families significantly more often suffered from mental retardation, emotional and behavior disorders, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and poisonings, than other hospitalized children.


CONCLUSIONS
School children from disadvantaged families have a specific morbidity which differs from the morbidity of children from families without social risks.
Stojadinović
A
A
Institut za zdravstvenu zastitu dece i omladine, 21000 Novi Sad, Hajduk Veljkova 10. dsv@eunef.yu
Roncević
N
N
Radovanov
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D011203:Poverty; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015022:Yugoslavia