Do Parents Expect Pediatricians to Pay Attention to Behavioral Health?. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Larson, Justine Julia; Lynch, Sean; Tarver, Leslie Bishop; Mitchell, Laura; Frosch, Emily; Solomon, Barry
• Is Part Of: Clinical pediatrics. Volume 54:Number 9(2015)
• Page Start: 888
• Page End: 893
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: community mental health services -- pediatrics -- behavioral medicine; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; 618.920005
• DOI: 10.1177/0009922815569199
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-9228

Abstract

Background and Objective . This study is a qualitative analysis examining caregivers' expectations for pediatricians with regard to behavioral health care. Methods . Fifty-five parents/caregivers of children seen in an urban primary care clinic participated in semistructured interviews. Participants were parents or guardians of children between the ages of 2 and 17 years, referred from the pediatric clinic to the mental health center. Interviews were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Results . Pertinent themes were the following: expected range of care, components of an effective primary care provider (PCP) relationship, action of the PCP, and parent reaction to PCP intervention. Forty-seven percent of caregivers saw the PCP role as strictly for physical health care; 53% expected the PCP to have a role in both physical and behavioral health. Responses were overwhelmingly positive from caregivers when the PCP asked about or conducted a behavioral health intervention. Conclusion . Caregivers did not consistently expect but responded positively to PCPs engaging around behavioral health concerns.