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, by complexity of health care needs (e.g., in 2009-2010, 57.3% of California CSHCN with more complex needs had families who were partners in shared decision making with providers).
Data Source: Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health, National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (Dec. 2012).
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. CSHCN with 'less complex needs' experience health conditions that are managed primarily through prescription medication; children with 'more complex needs' require additional care, services, or therapies in order to manage their conditions. 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.
