title: General parental education in Sweden: participants and non-participants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study factors of importance for participation in parental education within routine child health care.
  
  
  METHODS
  All parents of children born during 1 year were invited by the district nurse to participate in parental education; their participation during the infant year was registered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Catchment area of two health centres in Växjö, Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  221 infants and their parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of educational sessions for mothers and fathers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  63% of mothers and 20% of fathers attended at least one session. These mothers attended a mean of 5.7 (SD 2.2) sessions and these fathers a mean of 2.8 (SD 2.3) sessions. Logistic regression analyses showed that the only variable of significance for participation was being a first-time parent (odds ratio 3.9 for the mothers and 3.7 for the fathers). Odds ratios above 2.0 (non-significant) were found for married mothers and Swedish mothers, as well as for Swedish fathers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is still a considerable problem to get certain groups involved in routine parental education in Swedish child healthcare programmes.
authors.affiliation: Kronoberg Unit for Research and Development, Växjö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petersson
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petersson
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Håkansson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D013548:Sweden