Characteristics and patterns of health and social service use by families with babies and toddlers in Germany

Abstract

Objectives: In the field of family health, cross-sectoral collaboration is promoted to reach vulnerable groups and overcome the prevention dilemma. To understand the extent to which these measures counteract the effects of social inequality with respect to health and social service uptake, we aim to identify socio-economic, health-related and psychosocial characteristics and patterns that are associated with the (non-)use of services.

Study design: This was a German representative cross-sectional study of 6860 mothers with a child younger than 48 months who answered the written questionnaire during child developmental examinations at paediatric practices in 2015.

Methods: Associations were measured using logistic regression, and characteristics of user patterns were analysed using latent class analysis.

Results: Mothers using universal services were less likely to report psychosocial stress and had more likely more socio-economic resources than mothers who did not use these services. The selective services pregnancy counselling (18.2%) were predominantly used by mothers who considered abortion during pregnancy (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.9), mothers who received social welfare benefits (OR = 2.4), single parents (OR = 1.6) and mothers without social support (OR = 1.5). Four patterns of service use were identified: multi-service users (5.6%), low-service users (22.5%), medical service users (30.5%) and medical and social service users (41.6%). Families with less socio-economic resources were found in both the low-service group and the multi-service group; multi-users were more likely to have children with adverse perinatal characteristics and parenting stress.

Conclusion: We discuss whether low-service users are hard to reach, whereas multi-users are difficult to supply. Overall, there is a need to strengthen early psychosocial support.

Keywords: Early childhood intervention; Family health; Prevention dilemma; Psychosocial stress; Service use.