Relation between economic disadvantage and psychosocial morbidity in children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation between low income and child psychosocial morbidity cross-sectionally and longitudinally.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey with follow-up.


METHODS
Ontario.


METHODS
Children aged 4 to 16 years from families selected by means of stratified, clustered and random sampling of 1981 Canada Census data. Results were based on the responses of 2503 children interviewed in 1983 and 1076 re-interviewed in 1987.


METHODS
Prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders, poor school performance and social impairment.


RESULTS
There was a significant relation between low income and psychosocial morbidity, with a threshold at an income level of less than $10,000. Poor children 4 to 11 years of age were at greater risk of morbidity than poor children 12 to 16, but there were no significant age differences. Logistic regression revealed that low income and noneconomic factors (low maternal education and family dysfunction) shared significant independent influences on the prevalence of psychosocial morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Low income is strongly associated with psychosocial morbidity in children. Both economic and noneconomic factors showed independent influences on morbidity. These findings have important clinical, scientific and policy implications.
Lipman
E L
EL
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.
Offord
D R
DR
Boyle
M H
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011203:Poverty; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*