[Children's health at the 1,5-year examination in the municipality of Sundeved].
BACKGROUND
We investigated whether the health visitor at an examination of children aged 18 months could identify those with an increased risk of morbidity and use of health services.


METHODS
From 1992 to 1997, 233 children aged 18 months were examined by the health visitor from the district of Sundeved, Denmark. At each examination, the visitor filled in a questionnaire concerning the child's health, living conditions, and development.


RESULTS
Forty-one per cent of the children had been breast-fed for less than nine weeks. This percentage was highest in working class families and families outside the labour market. Nearly one third had a mother who smoked. Children whose mother smoked had a lower mean birth-weight than those with a non-smoking mother. The mother's smoking habits and age were also related to the duration of breast-feeding. Non-smoking mothers and mothers above 30 years of age had breast-fed more weeks than mothers who smoked or were younger. Diseases such as ordinary colds, inflammation of the middle ear, and bronchitis were common. Seventy-two per cent of the children had been treated with antibiotics once or more, 28% had visited a specialist, and 26% had been to hospital once or more.


CONCLUSIONS
Social factors are of great importance for the health of young children.
Osler
Merete
M
Københavns Universitet, Institut for Folkesundhedsvidenskab.
Todsen
Kirsten
K
Nørmark
Kirsten
K
Viskum
Birgit
B
D002657:Child Development; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires