Health Care Use by Preschool Children: Effects of Maternal Occupation and Household Structure

This study examines the effects of a mother's occupation and the presence or absence of a father figure at home on the use of pediatric services by 5,611 preschool children. The children with the lowest number of physician visits are those whose mothers are employed in traditionally female‐specific occupations and who live in a household where afatherfigure is present. Health insurance, Medicaid, age and gender of child, number of siblings, mother's education, and health condition of child also were found to be important factors associated with the use of physician services by preschool children.