Study: Single kids' dads bring children to doctor less

If you see children in your practice, it's worth taking note of this study, which could point to future health problems for vulnerable patients. According to a new study, kids in single-father households are more likely to spend an entire year with no insurance or medical care than kids living with a single mother or two parents. Researchers attribute this, in part, to the fact that men are more likely to perceive their children as healthy and less likely to seek a physician's care themselves.

The study, published in the journal Health Services Research, found that of 62,193 children studied, those in homes with single dads were 20 percent more likely to spend a year without health insurance, after adjusting for variables like income and race. This comes despite the fact that single fathers tend to have higher incomes and better job options than single moms.

What's more, only 8 percent of children in single-dad households had seen a doctor in the past year. Only 57 percent of children with single fathers receive routine checkups, compared to 69 percent of children in single-mother homes and 67 percent of those with two-parent families.

To learn more about the study:
-read this United Press International piece

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