Socioeconomic inequalities and child mental health.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the association between sociodemographic determinants and the development of social competence and behavior problems in children.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study performed with 479 school children aged between six and 13 years, enrolled in the first grade of public elementary schools of the city of São Gonçalo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2005. Socioeconomic variables, family structure, parents' level of education, child ethnicity, and social competence and behavior problems were analyzed. Prevalence ratios with respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Data shown were expanded to the population of students of the school network investigated.


RESULTS
Children who were below the poverty line, who had black skin color, whose parents had low level of education, and lived with single-parent families or comprised by stepmother/stepfather showed lower social competence and more behavior problems. The higher the risk factors, the higher the prevalence of children with low social competence and behavior problems.


CONCLUSIONS
The association between sociodemographic determinants and higher prevalence of behavior problems and lower social competence in children requires that preventive and care actions should be prioritized by public policies, reducing severe social and emotional difficulties in children, which may continue into adulthood.
Assis
Simone G
SG
Centro Latino Americano de Estudos de Violência e Saúde Jorge Carel, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. simone@claves.fiocruz.br
Avanci
Joviana Quintes
JQ
Oliveira
Raquel de Vasconcellos Carvalhaes de
Rde V
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002657:Child Development; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors