Association between parental access to paid sick leave and children's access to and use of healthcare services

Abstract

Background: We examined the association between parental access to paid sick leave (PPSL) and children's use of preventive care and reduced likelihood of delayed medical care and emergency room (ER) visits.

Methods: We used the child sample of the National Health Interview Survey data (linked to the adult and family samples) from 2011 through 2015 and logistic and negative binomial regression models.

Results: Controlling for covariates, the odds of children with PPSL receiving flu vaccination were 12.5% [95%CI: 1.06-1.19] higher and receiving annual medical checkups were 13.2% [95%CI: 1.04-1.23] higher than those of children without PPSL. With PPSL, the odds of children receiving delayed medical care because of time mismatch were 13.3% [95%CI: 0.76-0.98] lower, and being taken to ER were 53.6% [95%CI: 0.27-0.81] lower than those of children without PPSL. PPSL was associated with 11% [95%CI: 0.82-0.97] fewer ER visits per year.

Conclusion: PPSL may improve children's access and use of healthcare services and reduce the number of ER visits. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:276-284, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: child health; delayed care; emergency room visits; parental access to paid sick leave.