| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 社區護理研究所 === 91 === The objectives of this study were to examine health status and health service utilization among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to explore the related factors.
The study subjects were 67 children with diagnosed ADHD from Taipei municipal elementary schools in Neihu and DaAn district. For each case, a child who has never been diagnosed with ADHD and who was at the same sex and age groups as the case was randomly selected to serve as study controls. The primary caregivers of the indicated child filled a questionnaire. The child’s functional status was measured by FS-II (R). General health status, general health service utilization, and ADHD-related health service utilization were measured by questions designed by the researchers. Data analyses were performed using frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regressions.
The study results showed that children with ADHD were worse in their functional status and general health status compared to control children. Children with ADHD also had higher morbidities and more symptoms that were unrelated to ADHD, such as allergies and growth retardation. There were no significant differences between children with ADHD and control children in places of health service utilization. They usually go to clinics and hospitals. Pediatrics, ENT, Dentistry, and Ophthalmic were the departments that were used more often by our study subjects. But children with ADHD used ENT, Psychiatry and Emergency more frequently than controls. Overall frequency of health service utilization was also higher among children with ADHD than those among control children. There were no significant differences in satisfactions on utilization of general health services between the two groups. The regression model showed that factors being positively associated with higher frequency of health services utilization were the diagnosis of ADHD, presence of other diseases or symptoms, and an educational level of higher than university among the caregivers. The model r2 was 16.3%. Regardless of having a diagnosis of ADHD or not, children who had higher scores in functional status and who felt little financial burden of health insurance were more satisfied with health service utilization. The model r2 was 29.5%. General health status was not associated with frequency of health service utilization and satisfaction toward health services.
Since children with ADHD had more health problems in addition to ADHD symptoms than controls, school health center should actively establish case management for children with ADHD and cooperate with school counseling center in making care plans for them in order to promote health among children with ADHD.
Key word：attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, health status, health service utilization
|
|---|
