Illnesses and absence due to illness among children attending child care facilities in Seattle-King County, Washington.

OBJECTIVES

Although much of the economic impact of child care-associated illness in the United States is due to parents' time lost from work, there are no data on the incidence of absence due to illness among children in various types of out-of-home child care settings in the United States. The goals of this study were to compare the incidence of illness and absence due to illness among children attending child care homes (CCHs) and child care centers (CCCs).

METHODS

From July 1992 through June 1993, child care providers from 91 CCHs and 41 CCCs in Seattle-King County, Washington, provided information on absenteeism and illness for 96 792 child-weeks of observation.

RESULTS

The age-adjusted incidence of provider-reported illness episodes among children in CCHs (10.4 episodes per 100 child-weeks) was greater than that among children in CCCs (6.7 episodes per 100 child-weeks). The incidence density ratio of illness among children <1 year of age in comparison to those >/=5 years of age in CCCs (4.5) was greater than that among similar groups in CCHs (2.3). The age-adjusted incidence of absence due to illness among children in CCHs (5.1 days per 100 child-weeks) was less than that among children in CCCs (8.9 days per 100 child-weeks).

CONCLUSIONS

Results comparing the incidence of illness between children in various types of child care settings may be influenced by information sources. The incidence of illness among children in CCHs may be greater than that among children in CCCs. The increased incidence of absence due to illness among children in CCCs compared with that among children in CCHs probably reflects differences in exclusion and attendance policies and practices between these two types of settings.