title: Parental separation and behaviours that influence the health of infants aged 7-11 months: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analyse the parental behaviours that are recognised as influencing the health of very young children based on family structure (parents separated or not).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Free preventive medicine consultations in the French Community of Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Examination of 79 701 infants aged 7-11 months as part of a free preventive medicine consultation. The data came from an assessment conducted 7-11 months after birth during which information was collected, namely about the parents' use of tobacco, the infant's type of nutrition and adherence to vaccination schedules.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parental behaviours: smoking, nutrition and compliance with vaccination schedule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of infants whose parents were separated was 6.6%. After adjusting for the cultural and socioeconomic environment as well as for other potential confounders, in the event of separation as compared with non-separated parents, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) were as follows: 1.5 (1.3 to 1.7) for the infant's exposure to tobacco; 1.3 (1.2 to 1.4) for total lack of exclusive breast feeding; 1.3 (1.1 to 1.4) and 1.2 (1.1 to 1.2) for breast feeding for a duration of less than 3 and 6 months, respectively; 1.2 (1.1 to 1.4) for non-compliance with the vaccination schedule against rotavirus. The duration of exclusive breast feeding was shorter when parents were separated (p<0.001; median 10 vs 13 weeks).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reinforces the possibility that parental separation is independently associated with certain parental at-risk behaviours regarding the children's health. This observation should be verified because this could result in major consequences for the work of family doctors, in particular in terms of parent information and targeted prevention.
authors: Département de Médecine Générale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors: Nadine
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8602-3574
authors: N
authors: Kacenelenbogen
authors: Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie, Biostatistique et Recherche Clinique, Ecole de santé publique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors: Michèle
authors: M
authors: Dramaix-Wilmet
authors: Département de Médecine Générale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Schetgen
authors: Département de Médecine Générale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Roland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004243:Divorce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000068104:Infant Health; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: PREVENTIVE MEDICINE; PRIMARY CARE