Differential Effects of Multiple Dimensions of Poverty on Child Behavioral Problems: Results from the A-CHILD Study

Association of child-specific and household material deprivation with depression among elementary and middle school students in Japan

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the association between child-specific and household material deprivation with depression among elementary and middle school students in Japan.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data from 10,505 and 10,008 students for fifth-grade elementary school students (G5) and second-grade middle school students (G8), respectively, and their caregivers. The data were collected from August to September 2016 in 4 municipalities of Tokyo and from July to November 2017 in 23 municipalities of Hiroshima prefecture. Caregivers completed questionnaires including household income and material deprivation, and children completed child-specific material deprivation and depression status using the Japanese version of the Birleson depression self-rating scale for children (DSRS-C). To explore the associations, logistic regression was used after conducting multiple imputation for the missing data.

RESULTS

14.2% of G5 students and 23.6% of G8 students had DSRS-C scores of more than or equal to 16, denoting the risk of depression. We found that household equivalent income was not associated with childhood depression in both G5 and G8 students when adjusted for material deprivations. While at least one item of household material deprivation was significantly associated with depression in G8 students (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.00, 1.41), but not in G5 children. Child-specific material deprivation of more than 5 items was significantly associated with depression in both age groups (G5: OR = 1.53, CI = 1.25, 1.88; G8: OR = 1.45, CI = 1.22, 1.73).

CONCLUSION

Future research on child mental health needs to consider children's perspectives, especially material deprivation in young children.

Persistent poverty and child dental caries: time-varying exposure analysis

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the cumulative impact of persistent poverty on dental caries among elementary schoolchildren in Japan.

METHODS

Data were derived from four-wave longitudinal data of children in all public elementary schools in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan, from 2015 to 2020 (n=4291, response rate: 80.1%-83.8%). Poverty status, defined as annual household income

RESULTS

Children with persistent poverty experienced more dental caries (mean: 3.81, SD: 3.73) than children who had never experienced poverty (mean: 2.39, SD: 3.27). After controlling for confounders, being in persistent poverty was significantly associated with having more dental caries than never being in poverty (mean difference: 1.54, 95% CI 0.60, 2.48). The magnitude of the association was greater than that of poverty assessed at first grade only (mean difference: 0.75, 95% CI 0.35, 1.16) or experience of poverty at any of the four waves (mean difference: 0.69, 95% CI 0.39, 0.99).

CONCLUSION

The cumulative impact of persistent poverty could be larger than the poverty assessed at a single time point.

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Key Words

• BIOSTATISTICS
• DENTISTRY
• EPIDEMIOLOGY

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MESH Headings

• Humans
• Child
• Dental Caries/epidemiology
• Poverty
• Japan/epidemiology
• Schools
• Surveys and Questionnaires

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Affiliation(s)

Yusuke Matsuyama Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan Department of Oral Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Aya Isumi Department of Health Policy, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Satomi Doi Department of Health Policy, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Takeo Fujiwara Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

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Association between Community Social Capital and Access to Dental Check-Ups among Elementary School Children in Japan

The association between parental social capital and a child's access to dental check-ups has been reported, but few studies have focused on dental check-ups. The present study investigated the association between parental social capital and access to dental check-ups among first-grade elementary school children (6-7 years old) in Japan. We analyzed cross-sectional data of first-grade elementary school children (6-7 years old) in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan. Community social capital (the total score of social trust, cohesion, mutual aid) and child's dental check-ups (dental check-ups for purposes other than treatment at least once a year) were assessed by questionnaire surveys for parents of the first graders from all 69 elementary schools in 2017 (n = 5260; response rate: 81.6%) and 2019 (n = 5130; response rate: 78.8%). Multilevel Poisson regression analysis, adjusted for children's age in months, gender, mother's educational attainment, mother's employment status, having siblings, living with grandparents, and the density of dental clinics in the school district, was applied. Of the 7936 respondents included in the analysis, 82.7% of children received dental check-ups at least once a year. Individual-level social capital was positively associated with children's dental check-up utilization (prevalence ratio, PR = 0.935 per one interquartile range, IQR; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.877, 0.996). Community-level social capital was not significantly associated with children's dental check-up utilization (PR = 0.934 per one IQR; 95% CI: 0.865, 1.008). Promoting individual-level social capital, but not community-level social capital, may improve dental check-ups among elementary school children in Japan.

Developing an index of adolescent deprivation for use in British Columbia, Canada

A population-level adolescent health survey has been a reliable source of information about the health and well-being of 12-19-year-olds in Western Canada since its introduction in 1992. However, the survey has never accurately measured child poverty, partially due to the complex social and geographical make-up of the region. The current study sought to adapt a model for developing a child-centric index of material deprivation which had been successfully used in the UK. To develop the BC Youth Deprivation Index, 25 focus groups, including three youth-led groups, were held with 300 adolescents aged 12-19 in urban, semi-urban, rural, and remote communities in each of the province's five regions (North, Interior, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal, and Island). Participants in the focus groups created a 10-item index of the material items adolescents felt they needed in order to belong. The draft index was piloted with 297 BC adolescents aged 12-19. The index demonstrated good internal reliability and was correlated with measures of food insecurity and subjective well-being. The finalised index was completed by over 38,000 adolescents, and is available to policy makers and practitioners. The study outcomes support the value of meaningfully engaging young people in the process of measurement development.

Matching between maternal knowledge about infant development and care for children under one year old

OBJECTIVE

to analyze maternal knowledge about infant development and its matching to the care offered to children during their first year of life.

METHOD

a longitudinal and prospective study, in the stages of pregnancy and of the child's 12th/13th month of life. Interviews were applied to 121 women in a Brazilian city, based on 21 items selected from the Knowledge of Infant Development Inventory, related to the first year of life. Calculation of rates of correct answers was used, as well as regression by Ordinary Least Squares and White's standard error.

RESULTS

the participants who answered correctly more aspects have more years of study, are older and present high family incomes. When the "having a partner or not" variable was considered, the correct answers presented a discrete fluctuation. Regarding the themes, there were more correct answers to aspects about health, safety and infant development milestones. Primiparous mothers were more likely to wean, overprotect and have children using electronic devices, and less likely to seek information about child care.

CONCLUSION

there was matching between some maternal knowledge and execution of child care. The connection between them is relevant to indicate in detail the unknowns and uncertainties and to improve positive knowledge, contributing to promoting early childhood development.

Correspondencia entre el conocimiento materno sobre el desarrollo infantil y el cuidado de los niños menores de un año

Resumen Objetivo: analizar el conocimiento materno sobre el desarrollo infantil y su correspondencia con el cuidado que se le brinda al niño en el primer año de vida. Método: estudio longitudinal, prospectivo, en las etapas de gestación y de los 12/13 meses del niño. Se les realizaron entrevistas a 121 mujeres de un municipio brasileño, basadas en 21 ítems seleccionados del Inventario de Conocimiento sobre Desarrollo Infantil, relacionados con el primer año de vida. Se utilizó el cálculo de las tasas de aciertos, la regresión de Mínimos Cuadrados Ordinarios y el error estándar de White. Resultados: las participantes que tuvieron una mayor cantidad de aciertos tienen más escolaridad, más edad e ingreso familiar alto. Los aciertos vinculados a la variable “tener pareja o no” mostraron una ligera oscilación. En cuanto a los temas, se registraron más aciertos en los ítems sobre salud, seguridad e hitos del desarrollo infantil. Las madres primíparas presentaron mayor probabilidad de destete, sobreprotección y de que el niño estuviera en contacto con dispositivos electrónicos, y menor probabilidad de buscar información sobre el cuidado infantil. Conclusión: hubo correspondencia entre algunos conocimientos maternos y los cuidados que le brindaron al niño. La conexión entre ellos es importante para indicar detalladamente las incógnitas y las dudas y mejorar el conocimiento positivo, que contribuye a promover el desarrollo infantil temprano.

Expectant mothers and fathers' knowledge of nurturing care in a developing country

BACKGROUND

The Nurturing Care Framework (NCF), which has been emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in recent years and is among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), expresses the conditions created to promote early childhood development (ECD). These conditions aim to provide opportunities for children in the Good Health, Adequate Nutrition, Responsive Caregiving, Security and Safety, and Opportunities for Early Learning (5 Components) by caregivers, primarily from low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study is to examine the knowledge and awareness of expectant mothers and fathers in Turkey, about the NCF.

METHODS

In this study, a cross-sectional, analytical research design was used. Nurturing Care (NC) knowledge and awareness levels of expectant mothers and fathers in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy were determined via the online form of "The Knowledge of Nurturing Care Inventory (KNCI)" prepared by the researchers. This form consists of 60 questions describing the 5 components mentioned above. The sample contains a total of 103 people, 91 (88.3%) women, and 12 (11.7%) men.

RESULTS

Among the findings, the highest mean of knowledge level (13.76 ± 1.22) was found in Responsive Caregiving, and the lowest mean of knowledge level (4.35 ± 1.83) was found in Opportunities for Early Learning. The general level of knowledge on NC was found to vary statistically significantly depending on gender in favor of the women [t(101) = 3.27, p < .05], depending on educational status in favor of those with university and graduate education [F(2, 100) = 3.481, p < .05], depending on participation in pregnancy school training in favor of those who attended [t(101) = 2.349, p < .05], and depending on knowledge on how to support development in favor of those who know how to support [t(101) = 2.370, p < .05].

CONCLUSIONS

As a result, expectant parents need information and support about the period when children can acquire the basic developmental milestones and about the developmental risk indicators. More research is needed to implement the NCF starting from the preconception period, especially in LMICs, so that the opportunities in early childhood (which is the time period when the brain architecture is shaped, and development is the fastest) are not missed.

Correspondência entre conhecimentos maternos sobre desenvolvimento infantil e cuidados de crianças menores de um ano

Resumo Objetivo: analisar os conhecimentos maternos sobre o desenvolvimento infantil e sua correspondência aos cuidados ofertados à criança no primeiro ano de vida. Método: estudo longitudinal, prospectivo, nas etapas da gestação e 12º/13º mês da criança. Foram aplicadas entrevistas a 121 mulheres de um município brasileiro, baseadas em 21 itens selecionados do Inventário de Conhecimento sobre o Desenvolvimento Infantil, relativos ao primeiro ano de vida. Utilizou-se o cálculo de taxas de acertos, regressão por Mínimos Quadrados Ordinários e erro padrão de White. Resultados: as participantes que acertaram mais aspectos possuem mais anos de estudo, mais idade e renda familiar elevada. Os acertos quando considerada a variável “ter ou não companheiro/a” apresentaram discreta oscilação. Quanto às temáticas, acertaram mais aspectos sobre saúde, segurança e marcos do desenvolvimento infantil. Mães primíparas apresentaram maior probabilidade de desmame, superproteção e da criança ter contato com aparelhos eletrônicos, e menor probabilidade de buscar informações sobre cuidados infantis. Conclusão: houve correspondência entre alguns conhecimentos maternos e a execução dos cuidados da criança. A conexão entre eles é relevante para indicar detalhadamente os desconhecimentos e as incertezas e aprimorar os saberes positivos, contribuindo para promover o desenvolvimento na primeira infância.