[Acceptance of Binding Preventive Examinations: A Survey of Parents in Hessen].

Objective: In 2008, the Child Health Protection Act (Kindergesundheitsschutz-Gesetz) became effective in Hesse. Since then, participation in the early screening examinations U1 to U9 in Hesse is obligatory. The implementation of the law is part of the responsibility of the Hessian Children's Preventive Healthcare Centre (Hessisches Kindervorsorgezentrum (HKVZ)), which invites parents and legal guardians to each examination from U4 up to and including U9. To obtain information on the acceptance of the law, the HKVZ carried out for the first time a survey of parents and legal guardians as part of their quality management. The following questions were raised: How well accepted are obligatory check-ups by Hessian parents? What is the degree of popularity and the limitation of such a law?

Method: Along with the letter of invitation to participate in U7a, all parents and legal guardians received an anonymous survey questionnaire to be filled out and returned to the HKVZ. The evaluation took place in the HKVZ.

Results: Especially noteworthy are 3 results of the survey: When asked if health problems were detected during the check-ups, 8.94% of the parents and legal guardians answered the question with a "yes". Almost every ninth child examined was found to have health problems during the check-up. The reasons for a missed check-up were comparatively trivial. 96.53% of the respondents had not missed a check-up, only 2.88% answered this question with a "yes" and 0.59% did not give any information here. The most frequent reason for a missed examination with 1.59% was that it was simply "forgotten". In the category "other", 1.12% mentioned a disease of the child or a stay abroad as the most frequent reason for a missed check-up. Difficulty in making an appointment with the pediatrician (0.35% was another reason. The high level of awareness of the Hessian Child Health Protection Act (94.12% of respondents) and the positive ratings of the letters sent by the HKVZ (84.06% good to very good) reflect its acceptance. Further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of such preventive health care examinations.