Our COVID-19 Pulse Survey Data

Children’s Telemedicine

• Children’s telemedicine use remained stable from July 21 through October 11, 2021 (15-17%), but declined compared to the previous data collection period from April 14 through July 5, 2021 (22-24%). This estimate was among households that reported that at least one child had an appointment with a health professional by video or phone in the past month.
• Telemedicine use varied among states, from a low of 8% of households with children in Wyoming and Montana to a high of 25% in Washington, DC for September 15 through October 11, 2021.
• Telemedicine use was higher among children in households with Hispanic adults and with publicly-insured adults compared to non-Hispanic, White, and privately-insured adults, respectively.

We partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics to provide children’s telemedicine trends through a dashboard. 

Children’s Preventive Visits

• Between September 15 and October 11, 2021, about 68% of households with children reported that all children attended a preventive visit in the past year. An additional 7% of households with children reported that some children attended a preventive visit in the past year.
• The proportion of households where all children had a preventive visit was highest among households with adults:
  
  • Living at or above 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL; 78%)
  • With a bachelor’s degree or higher (77%)
  • With private health insurance (73%)
• The proportion of households where all children had a preventive visit was lowest among households with adults:
  
  • Living at or below 138% FPL (59%)
  • With a high school degree or lower (59%)
  • With no health insurance (55%)
• The proportion of households where all children had a preventive visit varied by Metropolitan Statistical Area, from a low of 50% in Phoenix to a high of 79% in Boston.

Disruptions in Child Care

• Between September 15 and October 11, 2021, almost 1 in 4 households who needed child care (24%) reported that at least one child was unable to attend daycare or another child care arrangement in the past month due to childcare being closed, unavailable, unaffordable, or because they were concerned about their child’s safety.
• A larger proportion of households living at or below 200% FPL reported child care disruptions compared to households living above 200% FPL.
• The most common impacts of child care disruptions included parents/caregivers using paid leave (31%), cutting their work hours (30%), supervising children while working (26%), and taking unpaid leave from work (25%).

Background

We partner with the U.S. Census Bureau on the Household Pulse Survey. This experimental data collection effort rapidly monitors the impact of the pandemic on U.S. households.

Beginning in April 2021, we added questions to understand some of the pandemic's effects on the health of children under 18 years of age. Between April 14 and October 11, 2021, the survey gathered information and released data every 2 weeks. Beginning December 1, 2021, the survey will gather and release data every 4 weeks to provide near real-time information and continue monitoring the pandemic’s effects.

We are collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data on:

• Children’s use of telemedicine
• Preventive well-child visits
• Disruptions in childcare

Methods

The Household Pulse Survey was initially launched in April 2020 to provide information about the pandemic’s social and economic impacts on U.S. households. Content sponsored by the HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau was included on Phase 3.1 (April 14 - July 5, 2021) and Phase 3.2 (July 21 - October 11, 2021). It will also be included on Phase 3.3 (December 1, 2021 - February 7, 2022).

Households are randomly selected using the U.S. Census Bureau’s Master Address File, and one adult 18 years or older is invited by text and/or email to participate in the web-based survey, which takes about 20 minutes to complete. Over 1 million households are invited to participate in each survey period. Between 57 and 69 thousand adults participated from April 14 to October 11, 2021. About one-third of respondents represent households with children under 18 years.

Prevalence estimates included on this page are weighted for nonresponse to match estimates of the U.S. population by age, sex, race/Hispanic ethnicity, and education. Analyses use survey procedures incorporating 80 replicate weights with a Fay’s adjustment to produce estimates for households with children. All analyses are conducted in SAS version 9.4 (Cary, NC).