Inge Pasteels

The Influence of Mothers' and Fathers' Parenting Stress and Depressive Symptoms on Own and Partner's Parent-Child Communication

This study examines how parenting stress and depressive symptoms experienced by mothers and fathers influence their own (actor effects) and the partners (partner effects) parent-child communication. Based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, data from 196 families were analyzed, with both parents rating their parenting stress and depressive feelings, and parents as well as children rating the open parent-child communication. Actor effects were found between parenting stress and open parent-child communication, whereas partner effects were prominent between depressive symptoms and open parent-child communication. The results provide no evidence for gender differences in the strength of the pathways to open parent-child communication. Our findings demonstrate the need to include both parents in studies on parent-child communication to enhance our understanding of the mutual influence among family members.

Validity of self-reported utilization of physician services: a population study

BACKGROUND Health care utilization is of central interest in epidemiology, and most of the studies rely on self-report. The objectives of this study were to assess the validity of self-reported utilization of general practitioner and specialist physician by correlating self-reported utilization with registered services utilization, and to determine the factors related to that validity. METHODS The 1997 Belgian National Health Interview Survey (BNHIS) was linked with registered medical utilization data provided by the Belgian Health Insurance Funds. Valid information on general practitioner and specialist physician utilization during the past 2 months was found for 5869 participants at the BNHIS who were aged ≥25 years. Intra-class correlation coefficients were used to determine the rate of agreement, and multinomial logistic regression to model factors influencing under- and over-reporting. RESULTS The results demonstrated a substantial agreement between the self-reported and registered general practitioner contacts, and only a minor bias was found towards under-reporting. There was no significant difference between mean self-reported and registered specialist physician utilization, but the agreement was rather moderate. Gender, age, country of birth, self-rated health, number of chronic illnesses, having functional limitations and having mental health problems, were associated with under- and/or over-reporting. CONCLUSION Studies that aim to compare the utilization of different socio-demographic groups have to take into account that the reporting errors vary by respondents characteristics.

Familieleven na je vijftigste

SamenvattingIn de afgelopen twee decennia heeft het Centrum voor Longitudinaal en Levensloop onderzoek aan de universiteit van Antwerpen onderzoek gedaan naar families en familiedynamieken. Daarin stelden we vast dat ook in Vlaanderen het gezinsleven in snel tempo diversifieert. Met een babyboomgeneratie die de 65 passeert, treedt die diversiteit in het gezinsleven nu ook de top van de leeftijdspiramide binnen. In deze bijdrage focussen we specifiek op de 50-plussers. Hoe ziet het familieleven van de cohorten geboren voor 1960 er uit en hoe is dat in een halve eeuw geëvolueerd?