Infections in families with small children: use of social insurance and healthcare.
OBJECTIVE
To examine infectious symptoms on a daily basis in families with small children and how often these infections cause people to stay at home or seek healthcare.


METHODS
A population-based prospective study.


METHODS
Child health clinics in seven municipalities in Sweden.


METHODS
All family members of 835 families who came with an 18-month-old child to a child health clinic were asked to register all infectious symptoms in a diary for a month. They were also asked to indicate whether they had stayed at home from day-care or school, whether social insurance had been used, and whether they had contacted healthcare facilities or seen a physician.


RESULTS
In total, 7% of the 18-month-old children and 34% of the parents had no symptoms during the winter month. The most common symptom was a runny nose. The 18-month-old children had 1.6 symptom episodes with an average duration of 5.6 days. Of the symptom episodes 13% led to contact with healthcare facilities and 6% to an antibiotic prescription. Of the symptom days 27% required staying at home and in 10% social insurance was claimed.


CONCLUSIONS
Symptoms of infection among families with small children were common, with a runny nose being the most common. Physician consultations and antibiotic prescriptions were used in a small proportion of the symptom episodes. Social insurance was claimed in about one-third of the days with absence from day-care.
Hedin
Katarina
K
Unit of R&D, Landstinget Kronoberg, Dalarna, Falun. katarina.hedin@ltkronoberg.se
Andre
Malin
M
Mölstad
Sigvard
S
Rodhe
Nils
N
Petersson
Christer
C
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002656:Child Day Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005190:Family; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016524:Parental Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents