Parent-held child health records do not improve care: A randomized controlled trial in Norway

Abstract

Objective. To study the effects of a parent-held child health record (PHCHR) that was created by the Norwegian Board of Health with the purpose of introducing this to the whole country. Design. Randomized controlled trial. Setting. Maternal and child health centres in 10 municipalities in Norway. Subjects. Parents of 309 children attending the National Preschool Health Surveillance Programme. Intervention. Half of the parents were given a PHCHR and short instructions on how it was expected to be used. Main outcome measures. Parent–professional collaboration, healthcare utilization, and parents’ knowledge about child health matters and illness. Results. Some 73% of the intervention group used the PHCHR regularly when visiting the health centres, 79% reported that their own writing in the record was helpful, and 92% favoured the PHCHR being permanently adopted. Use of the record did not influence the utilization of healthcare services, parents’ knowledge of their child's health, or parents’ satisfaction with information or communication with professionals. Conclusions. The PHCHR was well accepted by parents and professionals but it had no effects on collaboration, healthcare utilization, or other measures that could justify the costs of introducing the record into common use. Therefore, the introduction of a parent-held child health record in Norway is being postponed.

• Child health services
• general practice
• health surveillance
• medical records
• parent-held child health record
• parents