Reducing the use of emergency medical resources among Head Start families: a pilot study.

The objective of this study was to determine whether self-care training with Head Start parents can improve their ability to manage the healthcare needs of their children measured by utilization of emergency department (ED) and physician services. Four hundred and six families in Head Start agencies were included in the study. Parents were given a low-literate self-help book entitled What To Do When Your Child Gets Sick. The study design included using multiple-choice, pre-and post-intervention survey data. In a six month follow-up, parents who received the book reported a 48% reduction in ED visits and a 37.5% reduction in clinic visits. More research is needed to determine if this self-care tool and additional training can have a significant impact on inappropriate use of medical resources.