Trends in School Attendance for Low‐Income Children with Chronic Health Conditions

Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Bibliographic Data

ID21354449
AuthorsMolly A Martin (0000-0001-9295-7368, Associate Professor, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 840 S Wood St, Chicago, IL 60612., corresponding author), Rachel Caskey (0000-0002-6285-3311, Associate Professor, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 840 S Wood St, Chicago, IL 60612.), Anne Elizabeth Glassgow (0000-0001-9164-6162, Research Assistant Professor, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 840 S Wood St, Chicago, IL 60612.), Andrea A Pappalardo (0000-0002-4901-3465, Assistant Professor, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 840 S Wood St, Chicago, IL 60612.), Lewis L Hsu (0000-0002-3156-2378, Associate Professor, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 840 S Wood St, Chicago, IL 60612.), Jiyeong Jang (Graduate Student, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 1603 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60612.), Sanjib Basu (0000-0001-5607-4058, Professor, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 1603 W Taylor St, Chicago, , IL 60612.), Mark Minier (0000-0003-2601-8105, Community Pediatrician, ([email protected]) Esperanza Health Center 2001 S California Ave #100, Chicago, IL 60612.), Kenneth Fox (0009-0009-4856-1310, Chief Health Officer, ([email protected]), Chicago Public Schools 42 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60612.), Benjamin W Van Voorhees (0000-0001-7493-6352, University of Illinois Chicago), Benjamin Van Voorhees (Professor, ([email protected]), University of Illinois at Chicago 840 S Wood St, Chicago, IL 60612.)
Year2021
Volume91
Issue3
Pages187-194
Publication date2021-03-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of School Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-4391 • E-ISSN: 1746-1561
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/josh.12989
PMID33594692
OpenAlexW3129426078
LanguageEN
References cited29

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to determine how school attendance changed over time for children on Medicaid with chronic health conditions enrolled in a comprehensive care coordination program called Coordinated HEalthcare for Complex Kids (CHECK). METHODS: Medicaid beneficiaries from one managed care organization were randomized into 2 arms: CHECK program services or usual care. The final sample was 1322. RESULTS: The mean age was 10.9 (SD = 3.7) years old and children were mostly non-Hispanic Black (62.6%) or Hispanic (34.9%). The median school attendance at baseline was 94.9% (IQR 88.9, 97.9); over one-fourth of children (28.4%) were chronically absent. School attendance was not associated with race/ethnicity, risk level, and health condition. In a model including a significant time/grade interaction, school attendance increased over time for children in pre-kindergarten (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.38, 1.68; p < .001) and kindergarten to 5th grade (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.26; p < .001), and decreased for children in 6th to 8th grade (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.83; p < .001). No differences were seen in school attendance or chronic absenteeism associated with enrollment in the CHECK program. CONCLUSIONS: School attendance improved for most of the low-income children with chronic health conditions in our cohort, except for children in middle school.

Absenteeism · Attendance · Cohort · Ethnic group · Family medicine · Health care · Medicaid · Randomized controlled trial · Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life · Demography · Healthcare Policy and Management · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Psychology · Youth Substance Use and School Attendance · Gerontology · Pediatrics

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