Research ArticleOriginal Research

Trends in Well-Child Visits to Family Physicians by Children Younger Than 2 Years of Age

Donna Cohen and Andrew Coco
The Annals of Family Medicine May 2010, 8 (3) 245-248; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1076

Article Figures & Data

Figures

  • Figure 1.
    Figure 1.

    Trend in the proportion of well-child visits by children younger than 2 years of age to family physicians.

    Notes: National estimates based on 4,999 well-child visits by children younger than 2 years of age in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 1995–2007. For trend, P = .29. Vertical bars represent 95% confidence intervals.

    a Last period (2007) encompassed 1 year instead of 2 years because of odd number of years in the study time period.

Tables

  • Table 1.

    Characteristics of Well-Child Visits by Children Younger than 2 Years of Age to Family Physicians and Pediatricians, 1995–2007 (N=4,999 Visits)

    Proportion of Visits, %
    CharacteristicFamily Physicians (n=735)Pediatricians (n=4,264)P Value
    Age
        <6 months51.847.2.06
        6–12 months22.421.5
        1–2 years25.831.3
    Race
        White79.074.5.20
        Black7.69.5
        Other13.416.0
    Ethnicity
        Latino18.418.5.82
    Health insurance
        Private44.761.9<.01
        Medicaid35.423.4
        Other19.914.7
    Geographic region
        Northeast11.626.1<.01
        Midwest38.920.6
        South20.327.6
        West29.225.8
    Geographic entity
        non–metropolitan statistical area34.98.9<.01

Additional Files

  • The Article in Brief

    Trends in Well-Child Visits to Family Physicians by Children Younger Than 2 Years of Age

    Donna Cohen , and colleagues

    Background There was a significant decline in the provision of prenatal services by U.S. family physicians between 1995 and 2004. Did family physicians care for fewer children as a result of this decline? This study sought to answer that question.

    What This Study Found Family physicians continued to provide a stable share of well-child care in the first 2 years of life, despite a decline in prenatal services. Between 1995 and 2007, the percentage of well-child visits to family physicians for children younger than 2 years of age remained stable at 15%.

    Implications

    • This finding challenges the longstanding belief that a reduction in maternity care is associated with a reduction in care for children.
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