Maternal predictors of toddler health status.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to examine the relationships among maternal and environmental variables in the first 6 months postpartum and toddler health status, and to identify predictors of toddler health.


METHODS
A secondary analysis was conducted on an existing dataset of a longitudinal parent-child survey.


RESULTS
Maternal stress predicted 8% of the variance in child health status at 18 months of age. Children in nonparental care more than 20 hr per week were perceived as less healthy.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatric nurses should assess levels of maternal stress in the early months postpartum and anticipate poorer health status in toddlers who spend more than 20 hr per week in nonparental care.
Fowles
Eileen
E
University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, Austin, TX, USA. efowles@mail.nur.utexas.edu
Walker
Lorraine
L
D000328:Adult; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D007229:Infant Welfare; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology