Presence of Children in Household Is Associated With Increased Health-Related Social Need Burden

https://publications.aap.org/pediatricsopenscience/article/1/1/1/200180/Presence-of-Children-in-Household-Is-Associated?autologincheck=redirected Adults living with children report more health-related social needs, according to an AHRQ-supported study in Pediatrics Open Science. Researchers surveyed 1,252 adult primary care patients in Indianapolis from January 2022 to June 2023, including 326 (26 percent) with at least one child under 18 at home. They compared the number and types of reported social needs—such as financial strain, housing instability, and food insecurity—between adults with and without children, adjusting for factors like income, neighborhood deprivation, and comorbidities. Adults with children reported higher rates of housing instability (49.2 percent versus 40.7), food insecurity (53.7 percent versus 39.4), and financial strain (41.8 percent versus 35.0). The findings suggest that incorporating a simple question about the presence of children into screenings could help identify families at risk and connect them to supportive services.