Definition: Estimated percentage of children ages 0-17 with special health care needs (CSHCN) whose families usually or always feel that they are partners in decision making around issues important to their child's health (e.g., in 2009-2010, 61.8% of California CSHCN had families who were partners in shared decision making with providers).
Data Source: Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. (2013). Children with special health care needs in California: A profile of key issues. Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health.
Footnote: In these estimates, shared decision making is measured by assessing the extent to which a family feels (i) it is easy for them to ask questions or raise concerns with providers, (ii) providers encourage them to ask questions or raise concerns, (iii) they discuss a range of treatment options with providers, and (iv) providers consider and respect the treatment choices the family feels would be best for their child. Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally. These estimates are based on a survey of the population and are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. For more information, see https://www.childhealthdata.org/learn-about-the-nsch/archive-prior-year-data-documents-and-resources.
