Title
Gebruik van gezondheidsvoorzieningen voor kinderen in de eerste 2 levensjaren in Nederland [Use of health care facilities for children under two in the Netherlands]
Author
Reerink, J.D.
Herngreen, W.P.
Meulmeester, J.F.
den Ouden, A.L.
Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P.
Ruys, J.H.
TNO Preventie en Gezondheid
Publication year
1994
Abstract
Objective. To assess consumption of medical care for infants and toddlers provided by general practitioners and specialists, and of hospital admissions for young children. Design. Descriptive. Setting. Dutch Child Health Clinics (CHC). Method. An aselect cohort of newborns of 1988/89 of the Social Medical Survey of children attending Child Health Clinics (SMOCC) were followed for two years; at maximally 8 CHC visits data were collected on the preceding interval. Results. Health problems as observed in the CHCs like hearing disorders, strabismus, congenital hip dysplasia and growth disturbances were present as a cause for consultation of a GP or specialist in one out of six. Over 95% of the children went to consult their GP, 30% to a paediatrician, 20% to another specialist. Twelve per cent of the children was admitted to hospital, 10% of these more than once. Accidents caused 10% of all visits to a doctor in primary or secondary health care. Children with any form of disability at the age of two (6%) made use of the health care system as indicated in this study about three times more frequently than the non-disabled children. Conclusion. Nearly every child under two visited a GP, many a specialist. Timely recognition of specific health problems at the CHC prevents delay in treatment, and limits the harm in development as well as the costs.
Subject
Health
Child development
General practitioner
Health care need
Health care utilization
Health status
Hospital
Human
Infant welfare
Major clinical study
Netherlands
Amblyopia
Child Health Services
Developmental Disabilities
English Abstract
Family Practice
Female
Hearing Disorders
Hip Dislocation, Congenital
Human
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Pediatrics
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TNO identifier
232527
ISSN
0028-2162
Source
Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, 138 (28), 1427-1431
Document type
article