Harvinder Sareen, MPH, Public Health/Community Health Sciences, UCLA, 1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 850, Los Angeles, CA 90095, (310) 794-0756, hsareen@ucla.edu

Objectives: To determine the combined frequency of and identify demographic factors associated with parent-child activities. Background: Repetitive positive experiences in early childhood are linked with positive child developmental outcomes. Methods: The 2000 National Survey of Early Childhood Health is a telephone survey of 2,068 children 4-35 months old and their families. Parents were asked about the weekly frequency of reading, taking child out, eating a meal, and eating breakfast with child. Results: Latent class analysis resulted in four classes or groups of parents based on the combined frequency of parent-child activities. Group 4 (52%) was the highest frequency group followed by Groups 3 (23%), 2 (14%), and 1 (15%). Lower frequency groups had more Black and Hispanic mothers, lower education, working, not married, in low-income households, and in poor mental health (p<.05). High frequency groups were mostly White, with higher levels of education, working and not working, married, and in higher-income households (p<.05). Low frequency groups were more likely to report that their child�s health care provider did not discuss parenting activities such as reading with them, and that such information would be useful. Ordered logistic regression indicated that being Black (0.70, CI 0.51-0.98), Hispanic (Spanish interview)(0.32, CI 0.22-0.49), employed (0.67, CI 53-0.86), having a child <12 months of age (0.63, CI 0.49-0.82), and poor mental health (0.52, CI 0.38-0.71) were associated with lower odds of being in the higher frequency groups. Conclusion: The results have important implications for programs and interventions that focus on parent education, family health promotion, and child development.

Learning Objectives: Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of the session, the participant should be able to
• Identify the prevalence of frequent parent-child activities among American families with young children.
• Identify the demographic profiles of parents with frequent and infrequent parent-child activities.
• Recognize the need for targeting parent education and health promotion interventions in order to reach and meet the needs of parents who report low frequency of parent-child activities.

Keywords: Child Health Promotion, Maternal and Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Student Papers in Child and Family Health

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA