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A Rural County's Report Card

Anne M. Gadomski, MD, MPH; John Talarico, DO, MPH; Kathryn S. Abernethy, MPH; Helen G. Cicirello, MD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998;152:745-748.

Objective  To determine the adequacy of well-child care services using a population-based study.

Design  The medical records of all county providers and the immunization records at the local health department were reviewed. A county birth cohort, identified using electronic birth certificates, was compared with those who migrated into the area (hereafter, in-migrants).

Setting  All primary care sites (private, network, etc) in a rural county.

Patients  Two-year-old children born between May 31, 1993, and May 30, 1994.

Main Outcome Measures  Immunization rates and preventive screenings.

Results  A total of 674 medical records were reviewed. Of these, 377 (56%) belonged to a county birth cohort and 297 (44%) were in-migrants. Medical records of 64% of the birth cohort were reviewed. Among all 2-year-olds, 80% received 4 doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine ; 89%, 3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); 75%, 4 doses of Hib; 77%, 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine; 85%, measles-mumps-rubella vaccine; 85%, 3 doses of oral poliovirus vaccine; 17%, varicella live virus vaccine (Varivax). The 4:3:1 rate was 75% at age 2 years. Sixty-eight percent had had 1 hematocrit, 74% had 1 lead screening test, and 43% had 2 lead screening tests. A total of 64% had had 6 well-child visits and 30% had had 9. The mean number of weights and heights measured was 4.8 and 4.5, respectively, at age 1 year and 7.3 and 6.8, respectively, at age 2 years. The birth cohort had notably higher rates of documented immunization and preventive screening than in-migrants.

Conclusions  This study demonstrated immunization coverage at or below the national average, and well-child care service provisions below American Academy of Pediatrics standards at a county level. This study enabled individual primary care sites to assess their well-child care provision and provided a useful baseline for targeting the improvement of well-child care services in the county.

From the Research Institute, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital (Dr Gadomski), the New York State Department of Health (Drs Talarico and Cicirello), Albany; and the Ostego County Health Department (Ms Abernethy), Cooperstown, NY.

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