Children’s access to pediatricians has improved since 2000 with markedly more patients carrying health insurance, according to a new study.
An analysis showed the rate of uninsured children dropped from 12% in 2000 to 5% in 2014, while children’s access rose for physician visits and regular care.
Kandyce Larson, PhD, of the American Academy of Pediatrics and her colleagues reviewed trends for 178,038 children in the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’ National Health Interview Survey from 2000 to 2014. Researchers examined statistics for health insurance and trends across five access indicators: well-child visits, doctor office visits, dental visits, usual source of care, and unmet health needs. Results showed the uninsured rate declined by more than 50% from 12% of children in 2000 to 5% in 2014. Findings showed an accompanying increase in public health insurance coverage (19% to 39%), while private coverage decreased (69% to 56%) during the same time period (Pediatrics. 2016 Nov 15. doi: 10.1542/peds.2016-2176).
Uninsured rates for minority and poor children showed the largest decreases, the study found. The uninsured rate for Hispanic children decreased from 26% in 2000 to 9% in 2014, while uninsured black children dropped from 12% to 3%, according to the study. Significant declines in the uninsured rate also were seen for children in poor families (22% to 6%) and near-poor families (21% to 9%).
Health care access improved across all five indicators. Rates for no well-child visit declined from 29% in 2000 to 16% in 2014, while no doctor office visit went from 13% to 9%, and no dental visit decreased from 30% to 21%. No usual source of care dropped from 7% to 4%, and unmet health care needs decreased from 8% to 6%. The results amounted to an additional 9 million children receiving a well-child visit in 2014, compared with 2000. Improvements in access were generally greater for black and Hispanic children and those in poor and near-poor families, according to the study.
Dr. Bernard Dreyer
“It’s critical for our nation’s future health that we provide children at all income levels access to quality health care,” he said in a statement.
The rise in children who have a usual source of care and are undergoing regular well-child visits is especially heartening, added pediatrician Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, coauthor of the study and a member of the AAP Committee on Child Health Financing.
“When children see providers who know their medical history and can monitor their physical and socio-emotional development, they are more likely to have better overall health, be up to date on immunizations, perform better in school, and receive care in the most cost-effective way,” he said in a statement. Dr. Racine is a professor of clinical pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.
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