Article
Case-control study of the health of those looked after by local
authorities
J Williamsa, S Jacksonb, A Maddocksc, W-Y Cheunga, A Loveb, H Hutchingsa
a School of
Postgraduate Studies in Medical & Health Care, University of Wales
Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK, b School of
Social Sciences & International Development, University of Wales
Swansea, c Swansea
NHS Trust
Correspondence to: Prof. Williams john.williams{at}pgms.wales.nhs.uk
Accepted 25 June 2001
AIMS
To assess the health needs and
provision of health care to school age children in local authority care.
METHODSA total of 142 children
aged 5 to 16 in local authority care, and 119 controls matched by age
and sex were studied. Main outcome measures were routine health care,
physical, emotional, and behavioural health, health threatening and
antisocial behaviour, and health promotion.
RESULTSCompared with children at
home, those looked after by local authorities were significantly more
likely to: experience changes in general practitioner; have incomplete
immunisations; receive inadequate dental care; suffer from anxieties
and difficulties in interpersonal relationships; wet the bed; smoke;
use illegal drugs; and have been cautioned by police or charged with a
criminal offence. They also tend to receive less health education. They were significantly more likely to have had a recent hearing or eye
sight test, and reported significantly less physical ill health overall.
CONCLUSIONSThe overall health care
of children who have been established in care for more than six months
is significantly worse than for those living in their own homes,
particularly with regard to emotional and behavioural health, and
health promotion. In contrast to uncontrolled observational studies we
have not found evidence of problems with the physical health of these children.
Keywords: looked-after children; physical health; emotional and behavioural health; health promotion
© 2001 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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Arch. Dis. Child. 2001 85: 0.[Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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