title: Family characteristics and parents' and children's health behaviour are associated with public health nurses' concerns at children's health examinations.
abstract: The study aimed to establish whether family characteristics and the health behaviour and illnesses of parents and children are associated with public health nurses' (PHNs') concerns about children's physical health and psychosocial development in the context of health examinations. Factors affecting children's health and well-being should be identified as early as possible to provide children and families appropriate support. In 2007-2009, a cross-sectional study in Finland collected information about PHNs' concerns, children's health and well-being as well as the background factors affecting them during health examinations of preschool-age children and school-aged children (n = 4795). Associations between family characteristics, parents' and children's behaviour and diseases, and PHNs' concerns were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Overweight in children, the long-term illnesses of both children and parents, and parental smoking were the factors most strongly associated with PHNs' concerns about a child's physical health whereas non-nuclear family types, the father's low educational level and unemployment, the child's lack of sleep, and bullying were associated with concerns about the child's psychosocial development. The connections found demonstrate that health examinations should address factors that affect the whole family's well-being so as to comprehensively promote children's health, growth and development.
authors: Social and Health Affairs, Lahti, Finland.
authors: Hannele
authors: H
authors: Poutiainen
authors: Department of Welfare, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Tuovi
authors: T
authors: Hakulinen
authors: Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Päivi
authors: P
authors: Mäki
authors: Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.|Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.|Hospital District of North Karelia, Joensuu, Finland.
authors: Tiina
authors: T
authors: Laatikainen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D000067576:Child Health; D005192:Family Health; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D011637:Public Health Nursing
keywords: health concern; health examination; preschool-aged and school-aged children; public health nurse