Unmet health care needs in children of parents with poor self-rated mental health: justification for a “think-family” approach

ABSTRACT

Associations between parents’ self-rated mental health status and children’s (0–17 years) unmet health care needs were examined in the 2019–20 National Survey of Children’s Health. Compared to parents with excellent/very good mental health, parents with poor/fair mental health were more likely to report children as having unmet health care needs, more missed school days due to illness/injury, and poor/fair general health. Problems paying for health care, transportation or childcare, lack of parenting support, parenting stress and parents’ own physical health problems were identified as barriers. Parents with poor mental health may benefit from programs that provide parenting support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) at www.childhealthdata.org.

Additional information

Funding

This research was not supported by any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.