Mixed Bag On Health For Young

Newcastle Herald

Saturday February 2, 2008

By GABRIEL WINGATE-PEARSE Health Reporter

HUNTER children are more likely to drink enough milk and get enough exercise than the state average, a NSW Health survey shows.

More have private health insurance cover than the state average.

They are more likely to have a smoke alarm or detector in their home and parents who did a fire education program in 2005-06 were more likely to have taken subsequent action.

On the downside, a greater proportion of children living in the Hunter New England area had difficulties obtaining health care when they needed it: 20.8 per cent compared with the state average of 15.6 per cent.

The data is contained in the NSW Population Health Survey 2005-2006 Report on Child Health, which examines the health behaviour, health status, health services and social determinants of 4578 children.

Overall, significant rises were recorded in the number of infants being breastfed exclusively at six months in NSW.

The same applied to data on children vaccinated against meningococcal C disease since January of the previous year and infants being put on their back to sleep from birth.

The report showed significant increases in the number of children who ate the recommended daily vegetable intake, had the recommended daily dairy intake and lived in smoke-free households.

However, 84 per cent of children aged five to 15 years were sedentary for more than the recommended maximum of two hours a day during leisure time.

THE COMPARISON

STATE HUNTER

AVERAGE REGION

Smoke alarms

in their home 82.5% 89.6%

Consumed two or more

cups of milk each day 54% 59.9%

Adequate physical

activity 25.6% 32.6%

Difficulties getting

health care 15.6% 20.8%

Attended childcare 46.9% 37.9%

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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