We Asked, They Told Us: The Use of an Electronic Survey to Address Parental Health Concerns for Children

Abstract

Population health includes medical conditions and social determinants of health, and it can be measured through community health needs assessments (CHNAs). A pediatric hospital utilized a survey to ask parents to rank different health topics based on the severity they present to children in the St. Louis Metropolitan for 2 installments of a CHNA (2016 and 2019). Between November 2015 and April 2016, 1156 parents and, between May 2018 and September 2018, 1022 parents responded to the Parent Health Concerns Survey. Respondents were most likely to be 25 to 44 years old, white, educated, have an income of at least $60 000, and work-related insurance. The top needs identified in 2016 and 2018 were lack of exercise and bullying, respectively. Depression saw the largest increase. Emerging topics in 2018 include tobacco/smoking, depression, and health insurance access. Our findings suggests that pediatricians should be prepared to address concerns across a wide variety of topics.