Login | Register

Understanding the influence of parenting on early childhood health and health care utilization

Title:

Understanding the influence of parenting on early childhood health and health care utilization

Hubert, Michele (2010) Understanding the influence of parenting on early childhood health and health care utilization. Masters thesis, Concordia University.

[thumbnail of MR71073.pdf]
Preview
Text (application/pdf)
MR71073.pdf - Accepted Version
2MB

Abstract

The significant variability in the use of pediatric care points to a need for a greater understanding of factors that influence early childhood health care usage. Given parents' central role in child health and service use, the effects of several parental characteristics have been examined. However, little is known about the influence of general parenting behaviours on variations in service use. Aim: Using 250 parent-child dyads from the Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, this study examined whether parental support, structure and control would influence rates of early childhood usage for different types of health services and whether these effects would be moderated by conditions of disadvantage typically associated with poorer health and service use. Results: Greater parental support increased children's rate of non-emergency care and decreased their hospitalizations rate; however, parental support was particularly important in conditions of disadvantage. For children of parents from impoverished backgrounds, more supportive parenting was associated with higher rates of non-emergency care and visits for ear infections and acute respiratory infections. In addition, greater parental structure decreased children's rates of ear infection and acute respiratory infections and tended to decrease children's rate of emergency room visit. Greater parental control decreased children's rate of emergency room visits and tended to decrease non-emergency care. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of considering broad parenting behaviours when examining variations in health and health care utilization in early childhood and it provides the theoretical basis for developing interventions aimed at parenting in high risk populations.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Psychology
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Hubert, Michele
Pagination:ix, 82 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M.A.
Program:Psychology
Date:2010
Thesis Supervisor(s):Serbin, Lisa
Identification Number:LE 3 C66P79M 2010 H83
ID Code:979476
Deposited By: Concordia University Library
Deposited On:09 Dec 2014 18:00
Last Modified:13 Jul 2020 20:12
Related URLs:
All items in Spectrum are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved. The use of items is governed by Spectrum's terms of access.

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads per month over past year

Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
- Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
Back to top Back to top