Uninsured children with psychosocial problems: primary care management.

OBJECTIVE

Nearly 14% of children in the United States are uninsured. We compared the prevalence of psychosocial problems and mental health services received by insured and uninsured children in primary care practices.

METHODS

The Child Behavior Study was a cohort study conducted by Pediatric Research in Office Settings and the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network. Four hundred one primary care clinicians enrolled an average sample of 55 consecutive children (4-15 years old) per clinician.

RESULTS

Of the 13 401 visits to clinicians with 3 or more uninsured patients, 12 518 were by insured children (93.4%) and 883 were by uninsured children (6. 6%). A higher percentage of adolescents, Hispanic children, those with unmarried parents, and those with less educated parents were uninsured. According to clinicians, uninsured children and insured children had similar rates of psychosocial problems (19%) and severe psychosocial problems (2%). For children with a clinician-identified psychosocial problem, we found no differences in clinician-reported counseling, medication use, or referral to mental health professionals.

CONCLUSIONS

Among children served in primary care practices, uninsured children have similar prevalence of clinician-identified psychosocial and mental health problems compared with insured children. Within their practices, clinicians managed uninsured children much the same way as insured children. psychosocial problems, uninsured children, pediatrics, family medicine, primary care.