Correlates of children's use of physician and dentist services: Ontario Child Health Study follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: (1) To explore the correlates of dental and medical care utilization for children in Ontario and (2) to explore the stability of correlates of medical care use over time. METHOD: Data from the Follow-up Survey of the Ontario Child Health Study were used. Since likelihood of use of both dental and medical care clustered within households, one randomly chosen child per household, aged 8-16 years, contributed data to the analysis. Bivariate associations between use of services and descriptors of the child and his/her family were examined. RESULTS: Younger age, urban residents and parental perception of poorer health or hay fever/asthma increased the odds of a child receiving medical care in the previous six months. Dental care utilization was associated with younger age of child, higher education of mother and high family income. CONCLUSIONS: Across time, consistency was observed in the factors linked to children's use of medical services. Perceived need, the child's age and an urban location are related to greater probability of use.