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This study's objective was to examine whether five child health-promoting behaviors by caregivers would be associated with caregivers' assessments of their children's health as "excellent," controlling for an array of risk factors for adverse health outcomes. The study used the third and fourth waves of the Illinois Families Study-Child Well-being Supplement--a four-year panel study examining the impact of welfare reform on the well-being of the youngest children of current and former welfare recipients. Logistic regression techniques were used. The analytic results show that low-income children whose caregivers exercise child health-promoting behaviors (for example, mealtime routines, dental hygiene practices, safety practices), with the exception of having a regular bedtime, are more likely to be reported as having excellent health than their low-income counterparts. Moreover, a statistically significant cumulative effect above and beyond the individual effects of health-promoting behaviors was found. The findings suggest that child health-promoting behaviors by caregivers can make a difference in promoting better health for low-income children. Although large systemic changes (for example, changes in health care policy) are needed to reduce overall health disparities and to enhance health for all members of society, individual health-promoting behaviors may lead to incremental improvements in low-income children's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This analysis examines whether young children''s (N =494) general physical health is associated with parental employment, welfare receipt, and health care access within a low-income population transitioning from welfare to work. A latent physical health measure derived from survey and medical chart data is used to capture children''s poor health, and parental ratings of child health are used to identify excellent health. Controlling for a host of factors associated with children''s health outcomes, results show that children of caregivers who are unemployed and off welfare have better health than children of caregivers who are working and off welfare. Children whose caregivers are unemployed and on welfare, or combining work and welfare, have health outcomes similar to children of caregivers who are working and off welfare. Health care access characteristics, such as gaps in health insurance coverage, source of primary care setting, and type of health insurance are associated with children''s general physical health. Implications of these results for state TANF programs are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]