HHS HealthBeat (February 22, 2007)

Loving care

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Adopted kids are somewhat more likely than biological kids to have health, emotional or developmental needs, but adoptive parents do more to see the kids get care they need. HHS researchers base that on a national database funded by the department's Health Resources and Services Administration.

The study in the journal Pediatrics found most biological and adopted kids are healthy. And adopted kids have some advantages. For instance, they're more likely to be in homes with a bit more money, education, and consistent health coverage.

Researcher Laura Radel of HHS' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation says adoptive parents can keep doing many things right:

"Our data suggest that adoptive parents are already making a lot of effort to make sure their children get preventive health care and needed medical care." (7 seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May 7, 2011