Examining the Relationship of Family Social Capital and Use of Pediatric Primary Health Care Services in the 2016-19 National Survey of Children's Health.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of family social capital (FSC) and pediatric primary health care services (PHCU) among young children aged 0-5 years in the United States. FSC involves the interrelated contexts of child health and family characteristics. Understanding how this impacts PHCU may reveal important considerations for supporting access and use of essential health care services. Using data from the 2016-19 National Survey of Children's Health (weighted N=21,496,634), we conducted descriptive statistics and logistic regression to ascertain the relationship between FSC and PHCU. Statistically significant contributions included FSC (odds ratio [OR]=1.2; confidence interval [CI]=1.08-1.40), high school (OR=0.49; CI=2.65-5.39), and some college (OR=0.72; CI=0.62-0.85) DISCUSSION: Findings support that FSC and parent academic achievement impact PHCU. Interventions that foster family connection and parent adult health literacy may enhance PHCU.