title: Maternal Work Absence: A Longitudinal Study of Language Impairment and Behavior Problems in Preschool Children.
abstract: Combining work and family responsibilities is challenging when children have special needs, and mothers commonly make employment-related adjustments. In this study, the authors examined associations between maternal work absence and child language impairment and behavior problems in preschool children. Questionnaire data at child age 3 years from 33,778 mothers participating in the prospective population-based Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study were linked to national register data on employment and long-term physician-certified sick leave at child age 3-5 years. Mothers who reported having a child with language impairment had a consistently higher risk of not being employed and were at increased risk of taking long-term sick leave at child age 5 years. Co-occurring problems were associated with excess risk. Language impairments in preschool children, in particular when they are co-occurring with behavior problems, are likely to have a range of negative short- and long-term consequences for the financial and overall health and well-being of mothers and their families.
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Sandakerveien 24C, 0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ragnhild B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Nes
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Sandakerveien 24C, 0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hauge
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Sandakerveien 24C, 0403 Oslo, Norway; and Statistics Norway, Pb. 8131 Dep., 0033 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kornstad
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Zürich, Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland; and University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Department of Child and Adolescent Health Psychology, Binzmuehlestrasse 14, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Markus A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Landolt
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, NO 5018 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Lorentz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Irgens
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, Sørlandet Hospital, Pb. 416, 4604 Kristiansand, Norway.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eskedal
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Pb. 8149 Dep., 0033 Oslo, Norway; and Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Pb. 1130, 0318 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Sandakerveien 24C, 0403 Oslo, Norway; and Institute of Psychology, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, 0373 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Margarete E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Vollrath
keywords: caregiving; child care; child health; employment; sick leaves; work absence