Differences in health care utilization between parents who perceive their child as vulnerable versus overprotective parents

Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1996 Jun;35(6):303-8. doi: 10.1177/000992289603500603.

Abstract

While a parental perception of child vulnerability to illness/injury is often used interchangeably with parental overprotection, research suggests that they are independent constructs. We hypothesized more frequent pediatric nonwell-child visits for perceived child vulnerability, but not for parental overprotection. The parents of 300 children, ages 2-5 years, enrolled in a health maintenance organization, were sampled. For children without medical conditions, there were no differences in nonwell-child care visits between the high perceived vulnerability and high parental protection groups (Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, WRST, P = .31). As expected, high parental protection was not significantly associated with increased nonwell-child care visits compared with the low parental protection group (WRST, P = .14). These findings suggest that markers other than health care utilization are required to identify these forms of parent-child relationship disorders.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude to Health*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child, Preschool
  • Family Health
  • Health Maintenance Organizations / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Office Visits / statistics & numerical data*
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Parenting / psychology*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Sampling Studies