HealthFirst-Gas prices and children's health

UNDATED (WJRT) (WJRT) -- (11/19/07)--High gas prices may be hazardous to your children's health. A University of Michigan poll finds some parents are forced to choose between fill-ups and kids' prescriptions.

HealthFirst reporter Leslie LoBue breaks down the findings of the National Poll on Children's Health.

We hear so much about how increasing gas prices are straining families, and U of M pediatricians wanted to know how that strain affects health care.

Doctor Chris Dickinson is the associate chief of staff with the University of Michigan Office of Clinical Affairs. "The issue came to light from some of our nurses. They were noticing that patients were not coming in for regularly scheduled clinic appointments.  Many of these families had been coming for years, religiously, and they were not coming."

Calls to parents revealed that many simply didn't have the money to cover gas for office visits and kids prescription drugs.  A national poll would reveal that the problem exists across the country.

"We found that six percent of parents nationally reported that because of higher gas prices,  they had either postponed a medical visit or buying medications for their children," said Dr. Matthew Davis, a pediatrician with U of M Health Systems.

"We care for many children with chronic conditions here, as so many children's hospitals across the country. And if they can't get their medications, we know that the outcomes for these kids will not be nearly as good," Dickinson said.

The national poll revealed many parents would welcome a solution proposed by U of M's CS Mott Children's hospital;  a gas-card-for-health program that would cover fuel costs related to children's health care.

"Families were asked who should fund such a gas card program.  Fifty percent thought the government should fund it, and even more thought that the gas and oil companies should fund it," said Dickinson.

The U of M researchers say they are currently working with national organizations and advocacy groups to get the government and-or oil companies to help get a gas card program started.

Davis says the problem is fixable. "If higher gas prices are the reason that families are postponing care for their children, then we have an opportunity to do something about that. "

According to numbers from U of M,  in 2006 we paid over $3 a gallon for four weeks. So far this year, it's been eight weeks.

 

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