%0 Journal Article
%T The importance of environment: Neighborhood characteristics and parent perceptions of child health
%A Brian K Gran
%A Cory E Cronin
%J Journal of Child Health Care
%@ 1741-2889
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/1367493518768453
%X AndersenĄ¯s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use acknowledges the importance of community and environment in how individuals utilize health-care services. This article questions whether and how environment influences perceptions of health, specifically parentsĄ¯ perceptions of their childrenĄ¯s health. Based on data from the 2011¨C2012 US National Survey of ChildrenĄ¯s Health, this study investigates how parentsĄ¯ views of their neighborhoods (such as safety, social support, amenities, and detracting elements) shape perceptions of their childĄ¯s health. Furthermore, the analysis considers how these relationships are similar or different for minority populations. Using ordinal logistic regression, this study demonstrates that neighborhood characteristics influence parentsĄ¯ perceptions of their childrenĄ¯s health. Parents who report their neighborhoods as safe, supportive, and having desirable amenities perceive their children to be healthier. Parents living in neighborhoods possessing detracting elements report their childrenĄ¯s health as worse. These findings are largely consistent for minority and nonminority neighborhoods. The findings of this study convey the importance of environments to how parents view the health of their children. Improving safety and strengthening social supports within neighborhoods could help to address health concerns. As well, health-care organizations and public health offices should launch initiatives in disadvantaged neighborhoods to address health concerns and disparities
%K Child health
%K inequalities in health
%K location
%K neighborhood
%K parents
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1367493518768453