ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To find the level of implantation and use of the Child Health Booklet (CHB) in the Murcia region and the prevalence of breast-feeding. DESIGN: A retrospective descriptive study. SETTING: Central services of the Health Board. Community level. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A sample consisting of the mothers of 14-week old babies with a birth-date between 16/11 and 15/12/92 (n = 197). INTERVENTIONS: A telephone survey was carried out. A telegram was sent to those who did not answer or had no telephone. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: 147 mothers answered (74.6 +/- 6.1%); 137 with a telephone (88.5 +/- 5%) and ten without (22 +/- 12.7%) (p < 0.001). 134 of these (91.2 +/- 4.6%) stated that they had received the CHB: 126 when leaving hospital. One had lost it after three months. We found no differences for different Maternity hospitals. Of the 134 mothers with the CHB, 90 (67.2%) used public health services, 27 (20.1%) private ones and 17 (12.7%) both. 87.4% of the mothers took their CHB to their consultations, where health professionals asked to see it on 68.2% of the occasions. Parameters with compliance over 90% were: personal data, the type of birth along with incidents at the birth, and somatometry at the birth. Neonatal status and psychomotor development showed under 10% compliance, though in hospital there was better compliance. 85 +/- 5.8% began breast-feeding, with 31.3% +/- 7.5% carrying on up to three months. We found no association between public or private care and commitment to breast-feeding. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of distribution of the CHB and an acceptable compliance level. It is important to promote the CHB as a recording instrument and to involve the family.
