Pediatricians' involvement in and attitudes toward child day care programs

A survey of Northern California pediatricians was undertaken to determine their involvement in and attitudes toward child care programs. Out of 147 who replied, 20 percent had been involved in some substantive way in the past. Sixty-nine percent had been asked for advice concerning day care placement and had referred children to day care programs. About 43.1 percent had reservations about placement of infants. More than 80 percent felt that children in day care were exposed to additional health risks. Many pediatricians could not comment adequately on the health component of day care programs in their community. Pediatricians working in medical schools, health departments and other public health agencies were more likely to be involved in day care than pediatricians in private practice. Many recommendations were offered for the improvement of the health component. Possible reasons for the limited involvement of pediatricians are discussed. Greater exposure to child health programs must be included in their training if pediatricians are to assume a greater role in community child health.The authors are associated with the Infant and Preschool Child Committee, Northern California Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Maternal and Child Health Program, Department of Social and Administrative Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California. The authors would like to thank Richard B. Kearsley, M.D., for his helpful suggestions on the survey questionnaire. Jonathan Raz for statistical assistance, and Genevieve Coulson for secretarial assistance. This study was made possible by a grant from the Grossman Fund, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.