Child Health Care Program Research Articles

Preventive Child Health Care within the Framework of the Dutch Health Care System

The Netherlands has established a high quality system of child health care based on a unique standardized digital preventive child health program underpinned by legislation. Stringent assessment of the implementation of the new Youth Act is needed to fulfill the United Nations' child rights to health. The impact of national child health care systems on the well-being of children with long-term conditions should be evaluated by using international (World Health Organization) comparable coding to document the benefit of preventive child health care programs and their outcomes.

Impacting Vulnerable Populations Through Integrating Oral Health Care Into Nurse-managed Health Centers

The purpose of this project was to establish an evidence-based integrated oral health care program for children in 3 nurse-managed health centers and to describe the vulnerable populations served by these clinics, their oral health needs, and the impact of the oral health integration program. This project used a mixed method, nonrandomized, cross-sectional design. All children received oral risk screening, oral examinations, oral health education, and appropriate dental referrals. Demographic data, oral health data, and program engagement and satisfaction data were collected. Results reveal unique population demographics, their unmet oral health needs, and the impact of basic oral health teaching on this vulnerable population.

Nurses' Use of a Web-Based National Guide for Child Health Care.

Rikshandboken i Barnhälsovård is a Swedish Web-based guide for child healthcare, providing quality-ensured guidelines and support contributing to equality in child healthcare among all children. In 2015, a new child healthcare program was implemented and made available in this Web-based guide. The aim of this study was to investigate how child healthcare nurses use Rikshandboken i Barnhälsovård and factors affecting its use. The study was a comprehensive Web survey of 2376 child healthcare nurses in Sweden answered by 1309. Statistical processing was performed using descriptive and analytical methods. Rikshandboken i Barnhälsovård was widely used by the respondents, but regional differences and number of years in the profession affected the use. Almost all nurses were satisfied with the usability, content, and design and felt that a national guide for child healthcare is important. This indicates that an established Web-based national guide is an appropriate setting when a new national program is implemented. In order to achieve an equal and equitable child healthcare, it is essential that all nurses use the national guide to provide evidence-based practice. The value of main child healthcare units as regional facilitators in the innovation process of Rikshandboken i Barnhälsovård should not be underestimated.

Effectiveness of the Koorliny Moort out-of-hospital health care program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Western Australia.

To determine whether the Koorliny Moort program could reduce emergency department presentations, hospital admissions and length of stay, and improve attendance at out-of-hospital appointments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Western Australia. Children were enrolled in the program from 1 August 2012. Each child acted as their own control. Evaluation data were collected from 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2014. Occasions of service and person-time in days were compared for each child before and after referral to the program. Aboriginal children aged 0-16 years residing in three WA regions (Kimberley, Pilbara, Perth metropolitan) who were referred to the Koorliny Moort program. Partnerships with primary care providers; nurse-led care coordination; and outreach care by paediatricians, nurses and social workers closer to the home of the child. Emergency department presentations; hospital admissions; length of hospital stay; non-attended appointments. A total of 942 children were referred to the program. There were significant decreases after referral to the program in the incidence of emergency department presentations (incident rate ratio [IRR], 0.47; 95% CI, 0.43-0.53; P <0.001), of hospitalisation (IRR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.62-0.79; P <0.001), and of non-attended appointments (IRR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74-0.94; P <0.001), as well as in the mean length of hospital stay (IRR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.21-0.25; P <0.001). Health-seeking behaviour and health outcomes for Aboriginal children can be improved by engaging Aboriginal families in their health care, providing effective communication between health service providers, and delivering a coordinated program of Aboriginal service provider-led care.

Clinical consequences of untreated dental caries in German 5- and 8-year-olds.

BackgroundAbout half of all carious lesions in primary teeth of German 6- to 7-year-old children remain untreated, but no data regarding the clinical consequences of untreated dental caries are available. Therefore, this cross-sectional observational study aimed to assess the prevalence and experience of caries and odontogenic infections in the primary dentition of 5- and 8-year-old German children.MethodsDental examinations were performed in 5-year-old pre-school children (n = 496) and in 8-year-old primary school children (n = 608) living in the Westphalian Ennepe-Ruhr district. Schools and preschools were selected by sociodemographic criteria including size, area, ownership, socio-economic status. Caries was recorded according to WHO criteria (1997). The Lorenz curves were used to display the polarisation of dental caries. Caries pattern in 5-year-olds was categorized by Wyne’s (1997) definition of early childhood caries (ECC). Odontogenic infections as clinical consequence of untreated dental caries were assessed by the pufa index. The ‘untreated caries-pufa ratio’ was calculated, and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used for evaluating the correlation between dmft and pufa scores. Categorical data were compared between groups using the chi-square test and continuous data were analysed by t-test.ResultsCaries prevalence and experience in the primary dentition was 26.2 %/0.9 ± 2.0 dmft in 5-year-olds and 48.8 %/2.1 ± 2.8 dmft in 8-year-olds. ECC type I (22 %) was the prevalent caries pattern in 5-year-olds. About 30 % of the tooth decay was treated (5y: 29.7 %/8y: 39.3 %). The Lorenz curves showed a strong caries polarisation on 20 % of the children. Pufa prevalence and experience was 4.4 %/0.1 ± 0.5 pufa in 5-year-olds and 16.6 %/0.3 ± 0.9 pufa in 8-year-olds. In 5-year-olds 14.2 % and in 8-year-olds 34.2 % of the d-component had progressed mainly to the pulp. A significant correlation between dmft and pufa scores exists in both age groups (5y: ρ = 0.399; 8y: ρ = 0.499). First deciduous molars were most frequently affected by odontogenic infections, presenting virtually all pufa scores (>95 %).ConclusionsPrevalence and experience of odontogenic infections and the untreated caries-pufa ratio were increasing from the younger to the elder children. Dmft and pufa scores in primary teeth predict a higher caries risk in permanent teeth. The pufa index highlights relevant information for decision makers to develop effective oral health care programs for children at high risk for caries.

Dental Caries Status, Socio-Economic, Behavioral and Biological Variables among 12-Year-Old Palestinian School Children.

There are currently inadequate data regarding the prevalence of dental caries and its associated variables, among Palestinian children. To determine the current prevalence of dental caries and related variables, among Palestinian children in East Jerusalem. A stratified sample of 286 East Jerusalem Palestinian children was selected, employing randomly chosen sixth grade clusters from three pre-selected socio-economic school groups. Dental caries was recorded according to WHO recommendations. Salivary flow, pH, buffer capacity and microbial parameters, were recorded according to previously employed methodologies. The mean level of caries experience, by DMFT, was 1.98 ± 2.05. This level was higher than those found among Israeli children, but lower than several other Middle Eastern countries. In uni-variate analysis, significant associations were revealed between caries and school categories, which indicated lower, middle and higher socio-economic position(SEP), mothers' employment, home densities, dental visits, tooth brushing, Streptococci mutans (SM), Lactobacilli (LB), and saliva pH. According to a linear logistic regression model, children learning in lower SEP schools, with higher SM levels and more acidic saliva, had a higher chance of experiencing dental caries. These findings should be considered in the planning of services and dental health care programs for Palestinian children.

Implementation of a health policy advisory committee as a knowledge translation platform: the Nigeria experience.

In recent times, there has been a growing demand internationally for health policies to be based on reliable research evidence. Consequently, there is a need to strengthen institutions and mechanisms that can promote interactions among researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders who can influence the uptake of research findings. The Health Policy Advisory Committee (HPAC) is one of such mechanisms that can serve as an excellent forum for the interaction of policy-makers and researchers. Therefore, the need to have a long term mechanism that allows for periodic interactions between researchers and policy-makers within the existing government system necessitated our implementation of a newly established HPAC in Ebonyi State Nigeria, as a Knowledge Translation (KT) platform. The key study objective was to enhance the capacity of the HPAC and equip its members with the skills/competence required for the committee to effectively promote evidence informed policy-making and function as a KT platform. A series of capacity building programmes and KT activities were undertaken including: i) Capacity building of the HPAC using Evidence-to-Policy Network (EVIPNet) SUPPORT tools; ii) Capacity enhancement mentorship programme of the HPAC through a three-month executive training programme on health policy/health systems and KT in Ebonyi State University Abakaliki; iii) Production of a policy brief on strategies to improve the performance of the Government's Free Maternal and Child Health Care Programme in Ebonyi State Nigeria; and iv) Hosting of a multi-stakeholders policy dialogue based on the produced policy brief on the Government's Free Maternal and Child Health Care Programme. The study findings indicated a noteworthy improvement in knowledge of evidence-to-policy link among the HPAC members; the elimination of mutual mistrust between policy-makers and researchers; and an increase in the awareness of importance of HPAC in the Ministry of Health (MoH). Findings from this study suggest that a HPAC can function as a KT platform and can introduce a new dimension towards facilitating evidence-to-policy link into the operation of the MoH, and can serve as an excellent platform to bridge the gap between research and policy.

취약계층 영유아의 건강과 안전관리 실태조사

Purpose: This study aims to provide baseline data on children’s health care and household safety management in one region and to support implementation of customized visiting health care services for children. Methods: 51 children and their caregivers from socially vulnerable group and 69 children and their caregivers from general group are selected as research participants. Data were collected through home visiting survey by 10 professional nurses. Results: Children from socially vulnerable group are at higher risks of poor health care and safety accidents in households than general group. Rates of taking developmental screening tests, medical check-up remain considerably low in vulnerable social group. Regarding home safety, vulnerable children are more likely to be exposed to unsafe conditions. Conclusion: These results indicate that in order to promote health care and safety conditions for vulnerable children, it is necessary to implement customized visiting health care programs which actually can reach vulnerable households and meet their demands. These findings can be used as baseline data to develop customized visiting health care programs for children.

Improving maternal and child healthcare programme using community-participatory interventions in Ebonyi State Nigeria.

In Nigeria, the government is implementing the Free Maternal and Child Health Care Programme (FMCHCP). The policy is premised on the notion that financial barriers are one of the most important constraints to equitable access and use of skilled maternal and child healthcare. In Ebonyi State, Southeastern Nigeria the FMCHCP is experiencing implementation challenges including: inadequate human resource for health, inadequate funding, out of stock syndrome, inadequate infrastructure, and poor staff remuneration. Furthermore, there is less emphasis on community involvement in the programme implementation. In this policy brief, we recommend policy options that emphasize the implementation of community-based participatory interventions to strengthen the government's FMCHCP as follows: Option 1: Training community women on prenatal care, life-saving skills in case of emergency, reproductive health, care of the newborn and family planning. Option 2: Sensitizing the community women towards behavioural change, to understand what quality services that respond to their needs are but also to seek and demand for such. Option 3: Implementation packages that provide technical skills to women of childbearing age as well as mothers' groups, and traditional birth attendants for better home-based maternal and child healthcare. The effectiveness of this approach has been demonstrated in a number of community-based participatory interventions, building on the idea that if community members take part in decision-making and bring local knowledge, experiences and problems to the fore, they are more likely to own and sustain solutions to improve their communities' health.

Comprehensiveness in child healthcare teaching in Undergraduate Nursing: perspective of teachers

This qualitative study analyzed, from the teacher's perspective, if the principle of comprehensiveness is included in child healthcare teaching in nursing education. The participants were 16 teachers involved in teaching child healthcare in eight undergraduate nursing programs. Data collection was performed through interviews that were submitted to thematic content analysis. The theory in teaching incorporates comprehensive care, as it is based on children's epidemiological profile, child healthcare policies and programs, and included interventions for the promotion/prevention/rehabilitation in primary health care, hospitals, daycare centers and preschools. The comprehensive conception of health-disease process allows for understanding the child within his/her family and community. However, a contradiction exists between what is proposed and what is practiced, because the teaching is fragmented, without any integration among disciplines, with theory dissociated from practice, and isolated practical teaching that compromises the incorporation of the principle of comprehensiveness in child healthcare teaching.

Determinants of postnatal maternity care service utilization in rural Belgaum of Karnataka, India: A community based cross-sectional study

Background: The postnatal period is critical to the health and survival of a mother and her newborn. Lack of care in this period may result in death or disability as well as missed opportunities to promote healthy behaviors, affecting women and newborn children. Hence, the study was carried out to explore determinants of postnatal maternity service utilization in the rural area of Belgaum. Materials and Methods: Community based cross-sectional study was carried out from August 2012 to January 2013 in rural Belgaum. Total 630 mothers with less than 1 year child were interviewed using pretested questionnaire with her written consent. Analysis was done in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 applying appropriate statistics. Results were presented in tabular and narrative forms. Results: Among 630 mothers, 54.6% were 20-24 years of age, 61.6% were having secondary level of education, 89.8% house wives and 91.6% Hindus. About 69.7% were from joint family with low economic status. Regarding postnatal service use; 79.0% use properly. Almost; three-fifth met with nurse/health workers at least three times, four-fifth got advice about breast/nipple care, 92.5% about breast-feeding, 67.9% about post-natal exercise, 89.0% on nutrition education, and 85% got the advice of uterus care. About 29.8% perceived some health problems. Education, income, awareness, and delivery places were found most significant determinants ( P Conclusion: More than three quarters of mothers had used the proper postnatal maternity services. Education, family income, awareness, and delivery place were found as most significant factors. Sustainable maternal and child healthcare (MCH) programs and awareness will support to achieve furthermore better results.

Skin infections in male pupils of primary schools in Al Ahsa

Objectives:To determine the prevalence, the nature, and the possible socio-demographic risk factors involved in the development of common transmissible skin disorders (TSD) among the studied population.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional consecutive survey was carried out from November 15, 2008 to May 14, 2009 in Al-Ahsa governorate. This study included 1337 male primary school children. Data were collected using the following tools: Socio-demographics and hygienic habits according to pre-established forms and a thorough dermatological examination of all the included children.Results:The prevalence of TSD was 27.15% with a statistically significant difference according to rural/urban locations (33.74% vs. 22.27%). Fungal infections were the leading diseases (9.1%) followed by bacterial infections (8.9%), parasitic infestations (4.3%), and viral infections (4.1%). TSD were significantly more frequent in students whose fathers have a primary or preparatory educational status and in the students having the habit to play barefooted.Conclusion:Our study found that TSD was relatively frequent among male primary school students in Al-Ahsa. Our study has several limitations. One major limitation is that female primary school students were excluded from the study. Despite this major limitation, we hope the findings may be useful in planning health care programs for Saudi children with the hope of reducing the prevalence of TSD in the future.

Scaling up early infant diagnosis of HIV in Rwanda, 2008–2010

More than 390,000 children are newly infected with HIV each year, only 28 per cent of whom benefit from early infant diagnosis (EID). Rwanda's Ministry of Health identified several major challenges hindering EID scale-up in care of HIV-positive infants. It found poor counseling and follow-up by caregivers of HIV-exposed infants, lack of coordination with maternal and child health-care programs, and long delays between the collection of samples and return of results to the health facility and caregiver. By increasing geographic access, integrating EID with vaccination programs, and investing in a robust mobile phone reporting system, Rwanda increased population coverage of EID from approximately 28 to 72.4 per cent (and to 90.3 per cent within the prevention of mother to child transmission program) between 2008 and 2011. Turnaround time from sample collection to receipt of results at the originating health facility was reduced from 144 to 20 days. Rwanda rapidly scaled up and improved its EID program, but challenges persist for linking infected infants to care.

Evaluación del impacto de un programa de atención de niños con asma grave

Asthma is a major economic burden to families and public healthcare since it leads to a large number of emergency room (ER) visits and hospital admissions. Whereas healthcare programs for children with asthma have proved to be very effective to improve the course of the disease, there is less information about programs for children with severe asthma. To comparatively analyze the impact of the Healthcare Program for Children with Severe Asthma (Programa de Atención de Niños con Asma Grave, PANAG). This was a longitudinal, pre- and postintervention study. Two approaches were used to compare the frequency of asthma exacerbations and hospital admissions due to severe asthma in a group of patients: regular follow-up in a public hospital (pre-intervention period, 18 months) and follow-up while participating in PANAG (post-intervention period, 18 months). During the Program, patients received preventive treatment free of charge; educational activities were also organized. Twenty children were included, 16 (80%) out of the 20 were females, and the mean age was 13.3 years (SD 3.8). During the pre-intervention period 59 asthma attacks were recorded; after PANAG was implemented, they decreased to 26. This accounts for a significant reduction of 55% of asthma attacks (p= 0.0002). During the period previous to PANAG implementation, there were 4 asthma-related hospital admissions. In the period after the program implementation, there was only one hospital admission. The Healthcare Program for Patients with Severe Asthma is an effective strategy to manage this disease. This healthcare program is affordable to be used in a public hospital.

Towards effective implementation strategies for ultrasound hip screening in child health care

Early diagnosis and treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is essential to allow for the normal development of the hip. In the Netherlands, the current screening for DDH consists of physical examination and identification of risk factors. In previous studies, ultrasound screening was demonstrated to be more (cost)effective compared to the current screening. However, clinical and economic outcomes can be relatively uncertain since they may not reflect the value of the innovation once implemented in a ‘real‐world’ health care setting. The next step was therefore to investigate ultrasound screening for DDH as part of the preventive child health care program by means of a pilot implementation. This thesis aimed to study determinants related to the implementation of the screening and, particularly, determinants associated with parental participation in and satisfaction with the screening. Prior to the pilot implementation, a focus group study was conducted to identify enhancing factors, impeding factors and preconditions related to several innovation determinants (innovation, user, organization, socio‐political context). The results, such as preferences regarding parental information provision and the training program, could be used in formulating the implementation strategy. The second study identified psychosocial determinants related to parental screening participation. A positive attitude, a high subjective norm, a high self‐efficacy, a low perceived susceptibility and a high perceived effectiveness, were positively related to participation. The third study examined the influence of a gainversus loss‐framed message on parental participation. Parents who received a gain‐framed brochure were more likely to participate. The fourth study examined determinants related to parental satisfaction with the screening. General satisfaction with the screening was high and mostly affected by processrelated factors. The fifth study explored the evaluation of parents regarding a referral to the orthopedic surgeon. Parents preferred to be directly referred instead of indirectly via the general practitioner. Based on the outcomes of the separate studies, effective implementation strategies were formulated, related to the organization of the screening, the communication with parents and the screening process. These strategies can support health care policy decision‐makers with national implementation of ultrasound screening for DDH, so as to facilitate optimal likelihood of implementation.

The role of the Accredited Social Health Activists in effective health care delivery: evidence from a study in South Orissa

In order to provide effective healthcare to the rural population, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) by government of India proposed introduction of female health workers village level. These workers are called Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and their role is to act at an interface between the community and the government healthcare services. More specifically, she is responsible for promoting universal immunisation, referral and escort services for reproductive and child healthcare and other health care delivery programs. In this context, this paper would discuss the role of the ASHAs in fulfilling these responsibilities and thus facilitating access to quality health care in rural areas. The paper draws on data collected as part of a larger research project on “Explaining differential immunisation coverage in India and Malawi”, a collaborative project between University of Oslo (Norway) and University of Delhi (India).

Social determinants of sexual health

Byline: T. Sathyanarayana Rao, Rajesh. Gopalakrishnan, Anju. Kuruvilla, K. Jacob Sexual health can be defined as 'a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. [sup][1] Many complex issues including sexual behavior and attitudes, societal and cultural factors, biological risk and genetic predisposition, mental and physical illness influence sexual health. The limited data from India are from nonsystematic surveys and opinion polls, which explore a limited and superficial range of issues. [sup][2],[3],[4],[5],[6],[7],[8],[9] Social, cultural, economic, psychological, and genetic factors, which affect desire, attitude, behavior and practice are rarely investigated. The silence of the Indian culture on issues related to sexuality compound many issues including help seeking related to neurotic and anxiety disorders (e.g., Dhat syndrome), the HIV epidemic, reproductive tract infections, sexual violence, contraception, abortion services and female genital mutilation. Despite the Kama sutra, Indian society is extremely conservative about sex and is ambivalent about sex education in high schools. The barriers to sexual well-being include issues related to individual empowerment and choice, access to educational and clinical services, social stigma, discrimination and sexual violence. Even professional medical education does not transfer skill and confidence related to sexual health and sexual medicine. [sup][10],[11],[12],[13] The resultant vacuum is often exploited by healers who also propagate sexual misconceptions and misinformation. The cultural ambivalence and manifest conservatism result in a lack of political will to improve sex education in schools and formulate and implement policies related to sexual health. Existing Policies, Plans and Practice The National AIDS Control Program, with its focus on educating the general population about responsible sexual behavior, safer sex and condom use has had a significant impact. The reduction in the rate of HIV transmission in the country suggests success. [sup][14] The extensive treatment provision for HIV and AIDS is also an achievement. On the other hand, the National Family Welfare and the Reproductive and Child Health Care programs have focused on antenatal care, hospital deliveries, immunization and contraception with an emphasis on postpartum sterilization. Sex education in schools has met with resistance and has had a restricted impact across the country. Although India has some policies on paper, the approach is fragmentary. In addition, the principal thrust based on health, makes it one-dimensional and much less effective. Addressing Social Determinants Countries, which have accepted the need for a national policy, approach the task from a broad base employing multisectoral perspectives. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a framework, identified opportunities and challenges and recognized the need for contextualization and adaptation to cultural contexts in order to help promote appropriate, affordable, and accessible sexual health programs of high quality. [sup][15],[16] The WHO has argued for a broader context to sexual health going beyond fertility and reproduction and including sexual dysfunction, disability, sexual violence and sexuality. It has grounded the framework within international human rights and affirmed a rights-based approach to sexual health. The framework has argued for social determinants and includes: (i) law, policies and human rights, (ii) education, (iii) society and culture, (iv) economics, and (v) health systems. [sup][15],[16],[17] Legal mechanisms are crucial in introducing health intervention, protecting human rights and guaranteeing promotion, protection and provision of sexual health information and services. Laws can also help prevent discrimination related to sexuality and lifestyle. …

Voluntary participation and poor women's work: a critical examination of a community health improvement initiative in a Kolkata slum

Voluntary participation is a development practice that incorporates and ‘empowers’ marginalized populations by recruiting them as volunteers in community improvement programs in the global south. In India, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) commonly recruit female volunteers in urban slums to ‘participate’ in the improvement of reproductive and child health care needs in the community. In the volunteering literature, the practice is examined as one which uses the unpaid labor of women and legitimizes it within discourses of citizenship and solidarity in declining welfare states in the global north. The dynamics of female volunteering in countries such as India has received little attention in this literature. With a focus on a reproductive and child health care program run by Hope, an Indian NGO, my article undertakes the following. First, I argue that in the Indian context, volunteering needs to be situated within a broader project of decentralizing the traditional authority of the development expert in top-down initiatives. Second, I demonstrate that female volunteering is practiced through stereotypical images of economically marginalized women's work. The article suggests that the volunteering strategy needs to be rethought as it fails to address the social and material realities within which urban poor women work and live in the global south.

Spasticity of the gastrosoleus muscle is related to the development of reduced passive dorsiflexion of the ankle in children with cerebral palsy

Background and purpose Spasticity and muscle contracture are two common manifestations of cerebral palsy (CP). A spastic muscle may inhibit growth in length of the muscle, but the importance of this relationship is not known. In 1994, a register and a healthcare program for children with CP in southern Sweden were initiated. The child's muscle tone according to the Ashworth scale and the ankle range of motion (ROM) is measured annually during the entire growth period. We have used these data to analyze the relationship between spasticity and ROM of the gastrosoleus muscle.Patients and methods All measurements in the total population of children with CP aged 0–18 years during the period January 1995 through June 2008 were analyzed. The study was based on 2,796 examinations in 355 children. In the statistical analysis, the effect of muscle tone on ROM was estimated using a random effects model.Results The range of dorsiflexion of the ankle joint decreased in the total material by mean 19 (95% CI: 14–24) degrees during the first 18 years of life.There was a statistically significant association between the ROM and the child's level of spasticity during the year preceding the ROM measurement.Interpretation Spasticity is related to the development of muscle contracture. In the treatment of children with CP, the spasticity, contracture, and strength of the gastrosoleus muscle must be considered together.

Social Inequality in Early Childhood Health – Participation in the Preventive Health Care Program for Children

This paper asks how far socioeconomic differences in parental child health investments can be explained by personal and social resources within the family. Using SOEP data from the 2003 to 2008 newborn questionnaire, we estimate multiple logistic regressions to determine the effects of migration status, education, time resources, coping competencies, and social resources (in terms of shared parenthood and childcare support by the partner and relatives) on participation in the national German preventive health care program for children (U-Untersuchungen). First, our analyses reveal strong influences of maternal education and migration status, whereas social class plays no significant role for participation in preventive health checkups for children. Second, the likelihood of participation is higher the better mothers cope with motherhood and the more time they spend with their offspring. Finally, we find mixed effects of social resources ranging from a positive influence of parents living together, over no effect of childcare support provided by the father of the child, to a seemingly negative impact of support from further kin relations. All in all, personal and social resources do not seem to play a crucial role in explaining participation in child health programs in terms of social disparities between educational and ethnic groups. JEL Classification: I10