Sociodemographic factors associated with access to preventative care for children

Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been an ongoing decline in children’s physicals, delayed immunizations, and well visits. This study investigates sociodemographic factors including poverty levels (PDL), employment status, adequacy of insurance, and race on the accessibility of preventative care check ups. The research from this study has been derived from the 2022 National Survey of Children's Health survey that sampled 53,621 participants from diverse socioeconomic and racial backgrounds. This study uses Binary regression analysis and Pearson's chi-squared tests to examine and test the association between key factors and access of care. For example, participants in the lowest poverty level (0-99%) experienced poorer health outcomes (27.2%) compared to those in 400%+ income level (12.4%). Furthermore, when compared to the unemployed or unpaid class of participants, the participants who work full-time are associated with better health outcomes (OR=1.219, 95% CI = 1.100, 1.352). Racial minorities, including Hispanic (OR=0.763), Black (OR=0.801), and Asian (OR=0.553) participants, showed lower odds of positive outcomes compared to participants of White descent. This research seeks to encourage the creation of targeted interventions strategies focusing on poverty reduction, stable income, and equitable, universal access to preventative measures for children across diverse populations. Keywords: preventative care, children, sociodemographic factors, United States