Association between parental access to paid sick leave and children's access to and use of healthcare services.

Abstract

We examined the association between parental access to paid sick leave (PPSL) and children's use of preventive care and reduced likelihood of delayed medical care and emergency room (ER) visits. We used the child sample of the National Health Interview Survey data (linked to the adult and family samples) from 2011 through 2015 and logistic and negative binomial regression models. Controlling for covariates, the odds of children with PPSL receiving flu vaccination were 12.5% [95%CI: 1.06-1.19] higher and receiving annual medical checkups were 13.2% [95%CI: 1.04-1.23] higher than those of children without PPSL. With PPSL, the odds of children receiving delayed medical care because of time mismatch were 13.3% [95%CI: 0.76-0.98] lower, and being taken to ER were 53.6% [95%CI: 0.27-0.81] lower than those of children without PPSL. PPSL was associated with 11% [95%CI: 0.82-0.97] fewer ER visits per year. PPSL may improve children's access and use of healthcare services and reduce the number of ER visits. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:276-284, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.