Children with special health care needs: results of a national survey.
The purpose of this review of the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (SHCN) was to offer an overview of these youngsters from the perspective of parents. Survey findings include: (1) Nearly 13% (9.4 million) of US children were reported to have SHCN, with the highest prevalence rates among children living in poverty and among Native American children. (2) Dental care was the most commonly reported needed service that was not received. (3) Despite the availability of public forms of insurance, compared to children with private insurance, low-income SHCN children are 2 to 3 times more unlikely to obtain needed health services. (4) SHCN children have a significant impact on family time requirements, economics, and employment patterns. The challenge is to use this information to improve services for SHCN children.
Waldman
H Barry
HB
Department of General Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, SUNY, Stony Brook, NY, USA. hwaldman@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Perlman
Steven P
SP
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007223:Infant; D007347:Insurance, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States