Dataset Information

How universal are universal preschool health checks? An observational study using routine data from New Zealand's B4 School Check.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We aimed to estimate how many children were attending a universal preschool health screen and to identify characteristics associated with non-participation.

Design

Analysis of population-level linked administrative data.

Participants

Children were considered eligible for a B4 School Check for a given year if:(1) they were ever resident in New Zealand (NZ),(2) lived in NZ for at least 6 months during the reference year, (3) were alive at the end of the reference year, (4) either appeared in any hospital (including emergency) admissions, community pharmaceutical dispensing or general practitioner enrolment datasets during the reference year or (5) had a registered birth in NZ. We analysed 252?273 records over 4 years, from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2015.

Results

We found that participation rates varied for each component of the B4 School Check (in 2014/2015 91.8% for vision and hearing tests (VHTs), 87.2% for nurse checks (including height, weight, oral health, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ] and parental evaluation of development status) and 62.1% for SDQ - Teacher [SDQ-T]), but participation rates for all components increased over time. M?ori and Pacific children were less likely to complete the checks than non-M?ori and non-Pacific children (for VHTs: M?ori: OR=0.60[95% CI 0.61 to 0.58], Pacific: OR=0.58[95% CI 0.60 to 0.56], for nurse checks: M?ori: OR=0.63[95% CI 0.64 to 0.61], Pacific: OR=0.67[95% CI 0.69 to0.65] and for SDQ-T: M?ori: OR=0.76[95% CI 0.78 to 0.75], Pacific: OR=0.37[95% CI 0.38 to 0.36]). Children from socioeconomically deprived areas, with younger mothers, from rented homes, residing in larger households, with worse health status and with higher rates of residential mobility were less likely to participate in the B4 School Check than other children.

Conclusion

The patterns of non-participation suggest a reinforcing of existing disparities, whereby the children most in need are not getting the services they potentially require. There needs to be an increased effort by public health organisations, community and wh?nau/family to ensure that all children are tested and screened.

SUBMITTER: Gibb S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6500230 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

How universal are universal preschool health checks? An observational study using routine data from New Zealand's B4 School Check.

Gibb Sheree S Milne Barry B Shackleton Nichola N Taylor Barry J BJ Audas Richard R

BMJ open 20190403 4

<h4>Objectives</h4>We aimed to estimate how many children were attending a universal preschool health screen and to identify characteristics associated with non-participation.<h4>Design</h4>Analysis of population-level linked administrative data.<h4>Participants</h4>Children were considered eligible for a B4 School Check for a given year if:(1) they were ever resident in New Zealand (NZ),(2) lived in NZ for at least 6 months during the reference year, (3) were alive at the end of the reference y ...[more]

PMID: 30948582

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Dataset Information

How universal are universal preschool health checks? An observational study using routine data from New Zealand's B4 School Check.

Objectives

Design

Participants

Results

Conclusion

Publications

How universal are universal preschool health checks? An observational study using routine data from New Zealand's B4 School Check.

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