The Impact of Family Structure on Utilization of Preventive Care Services among Children under National Health Insurance in Taiwan

Yen-ju Lin (), Bradley Chen (), Tsai-Ching Liu () and Chin-Shyan Chen ()

Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 2012, vol. 33, issue 4, 453-463

Abstract: This study investigates the role of family structure in children’s access to preventive services in the context of a National Health Insurance (NHI) system. We analyzed the 2005 National Health Interview Survey in Taiwan to evaluate the impact of family structure on the utilization of preventive services, including well-child visits and non-free vaccinations. The extended family and single-father family were found to have a significant impact on care use in the unadjusted model even under NHI. However, after controlling for various health, demographic and socio-economic factors, our findings suggest that family structure does not influence the non-free use of vaccines, and financial constraints, instead, play an important role in making parents decide to have non-free vaccines. To further enhance the health and welfare of the children, our findings suggest that the NHI coverage of children’s vaccines might not be adequate and that non-free vaccines should be provided free to those families who cannot afford them. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Keywords: Family structure; Children; Preventive care services; National Health Insurance; Taiwan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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DOI: 10.1007/s10834-012-9301-8

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