Ethnic variation on the impact of family living arrangements on child health Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study Lidia Panico and Yvonne Kelly ETHINC project Department of Epidemiology and Public Health University College London
Rationale for the study Unmarried parenthood up from 6% in 1960 to 40% in 2001 Family living arrangements linked to child development and emotional outcomes Ethnic variations in family living arrangements and child health measures and behaviours
Structure of analysis Do family living arrangements affect child health? Does this vary by ethnicity? What are the pathways and do vary by ethnicity?
Methodology Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) sweep 1 N=18,553 Clustered sample design Outcome: Birthweight Exposure: Family living arrangements Ethnicity categories (N) White (15,210), Indian (527), Pakistani (938), Bangladeshi (381), Black Caribbean (497), Black African (468) Explanatory variables Maternal smoking during pregnancy Household Income Receipt of benefits Maternal age at first birth Occupational class Maternal employment status
Do family living arrangements affect child health? Mean birthweight by family living arrangement
Does this relationship vary by ethnicity? Ethnic variation in family living arrangements
Ethnic variation in birthweight by family living arrangements Does this relationship by ethnicity?
What are the pathways and do vary by ethnicity? Ethnicity Unadjusted SmokingEconomic factors Social factors Adjusted for all factors WhiteCohabiting-0.106*-0.058*-0.085*-0.089*-0.068* One parent-0.177*-0.093*-0.105*-0.130*-0.086* Black Caribbean Cohabiting ** ** One parent-0.187* ** * p<0.05 ** p<0.10
Conclusion Do family living arrangements affect child health? Does this vary by ethnicity? What are the pathways and do vary by ethnicity?
ETHINC (ETHnic INequalities in Childhood) project ESRC-funded 2 year project The ETHINC team: Mel Bartley; Yvonne Kelly; Michael Marmot; James Nazroo; Lidia Panico; Amanda Sacker In press: breastfeeding and developmental delays Future outputs: ethnic variation in birthweight; childhood asthma and wheezing illnesses