The health care access and utilization of homeschooled children in the United States

Abstract

Although the population of homeschooled children in the United States is large and growing, little is known about their access to and utilization of preventive health care services. This paper compares the health care access and utilization of homeschooled children and public school children in the United States using data from the nationally-representative 2007 National Survey of Children's Health. Using logistic regression models, this study finds that homeschooled children were significantly less likely than public school children to have access to a medical home, to visit a health care professional annually, and to receive the Human Papillomavirus vaccine. They were not statistically less likely to have health insurance, to receive annual dental care, or to receive Tetanus or Meningitis vaccinations. This research suggests that public health practitioners, medical providers, researchers, and educators should be attentive to the health care needs of homeschooled children.