The Impact of Concierge Pediatric Care on Parental Anxiety and Health-Seeking Behavior in Infancy
5 affiliations
- 1Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, USA
- 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA
- 3Department of Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, USA
- 4Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Boca Raton, USA
- 5Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA
Abstract
Background and objective The early months of a child's life are often marked by heightened parental anxiety, particularly regarding health concerns. With growing access to online health information and the rise of concierge pediatric practices, it is important to understand how these factors influence parental anxiety and healthcare-seeking behavior. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between internet use and parental anxiety, assess the impact of concierge pediatric care on stress, and examine how ease of access affects both online and in-person visit frequency during a child's first year. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to parents of children aged nine to 18 months enrolled in a concierge pediatric practice. The survey assessed demographics, primary concerns, visit frequency, online information-seeking behaviors, and the perceived impact of concierge care on stress and healthcare use. Statistical analyses included chi-square goodness-of-fit and independence tests, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests. Results Most parents reported reduced stress due to the availability of concierge care for their child, with 76.7% indicating greater-than-expected reductions and 81.4% reporting an overall decrease in anxiety. Satisfaction with pediatrician availability was significantly associated with reduced stress (χ² = 4.75, p = 0.029). Ease of access influenced behavior (χ² = 6.14, p = 0.046), with nearly half reporting fewer visits. No significant associations were found between anxiety and parent education, membership duration, internet use, or number of children. Conclusions Concierge pediatric care was associated with reduced parental anxiety and more efficient healthcare utilization. Provider access appears to be central to these outcomes.
Related
- Parental involvement for pediatric perioperative anxiety: A systematic review and implementation framework
- Comparative evaluation of a novel dual sensory stimulation technique for reducing dental anxiety and improving behavior in pediatric patients: A randomized controlled trial
- Association of low parental mental health literacy with adolescent depression and anxiety: a large-scale cross-sectional study in Guangdong, China
- Parental preferences for risk communication during pediatric infectious disease outbreaks: a mixed-methods study from the netherlands
- The role of primary care physicians in shaping diabetic foot knowledge and health-seeking behavior: a cross-sectional analysis
BibTeX
@article{miri2026impact,
title = {{The Impact of Concierge Pediatric Care on Parental Anxiety and Health-Seeking Behavior in Infancy}},
author = {Sahar Miri and Matthew Araujo and Anuradha Ramdas and Natalie Magagna and Chad Rudnick},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.117392},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13726673},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The Impact of Concierge Pediatric Care on Parental Anxiety and Health-Seeking Behavior in Infancy
AU - Sahar Miri
AU - Matthew Araujo
AU - Anuradha Ramdas
AU - Natalie Magagna
AU - Chad Rudnick
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/03
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.117392
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13726673
AB - Background and objective The early months of a child's life are often marked by heightened parental anxiety, particularly regarding health concerns. With growing access to online health information and the rise of concierge pediatric practices, it is important to understand how these factors influence parental anxiety and healthcare-seeking behavior. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between internet use and parental anxiety, assess the impact of concierge pediatric care on stress, and examine how ease of access affects both online and in-person visit frequency during a child's first year. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to parents of children aged nine to 18 months enrolled in a concierge pediatric practice. The survey assessed demographics, primary concerns, visit frequency, online information-seeking behaviors, and the perceived impact of concierge care on stress and healthcare use. Statistical analyses included chi-square goodness-of-fit and independence tests, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests. Results Most parents reported reduced stress due to the availability of concierge care for their child, with 76.7% indicating greater-than-expected reductions and 81.4% reporting an overall decrease in anxiety. Satisfaction with pediatrician availability was significantly associated with reduced stress (χ² = 4.75, p = 0.029). Ease of access influenced behavior (χ² = 6.14, p = 0.046), with nearly half reporting fewer visits. No significant associations were found between anxiety and parent education, membership duration, internet use, or number of children. Conclusions Concierge pediatric care was associated with reduced parental anxiety and more efficient healthcare utilization. Provider access appears to be central to these outcomes.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -