Employment barriers among welfare recipients and applicants with chronically ill children.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the association of chronic child illness with parental employment among individuals who have had contact with the welfare system.


METHODS
Parents of children with chronic illnesses were interviewed.


RESULTS
Current and former welfare recipients and welfare applicants were more likely than those with no contact with the welfare system to report that their children's illnesses adversely affected their employment. Logistic regression analyses showed that current and former receipt of welfare, pending welfare application, and high rates of child health care use were predictors of unemployment.


CONCLUSIONS
Welfare recipients and applicants with chronically ill children face substantial barriers to employment, including high child health care use rates and missed work. The welfare reform reauthorization scheduled to occur later in 2002 should address the implications of chronic child illness for parental employment.
Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass 02118, USA. lauren.smith@bmc.org
Lauren A
LA
Smith
Diana
D
Romero
Pamela R
PR
Wood
Nina S
NS
Wampler
Wendy
W
Chavkin
Paul H
PH
Wise
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000191:economics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D004651:Employment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017407:Family Leave; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011640:Public Policy; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013781:Texas