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