Health actions taken by carers also influence the health of our children. These include the use of preventive services such as dental and immunisation services, and providing or obtaining appropriate treatment when a child is ill. Despite overall improvements in child health, significant inequalities still exist. Conversely, they are the lowest users of preventive services such as dentists and immunisation clinics 3 . In this review children are people aged less than 15 years.
Infants are children aged less than one year.
Health screening refers to testing of sight and hearing, consultations with dental professionals and visits to baby health clinics. The likelihood of having taken a recent health action was similar for boys and girls. The specific types of health actions taken also varied by age. Immunisation Immunisation programs for children are recognised as an effective public health intervention. Because of mass immunisation programs, infectious diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough and polio are no longer major causes of death and disability in Australia.