Wickham, S, Lai, ETC, Barr, B 
ORCID: 0000-0002-4208-9475 and Taylor-Robinson, DC ORCID: 0000-0002-5828-7724
(2018)
IMPACT OF POVERTY TRAJECTORIES ON CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH: EVIDENCE FROM THE UK MILLENNIUM COHORT STUDY
In: Oral presentations.
Abstract
Background The number of children living in poverty in the United Kingdom (UK) is rising. Child poverty has been shown to cause poor mental and physical health outcomes that last into adulthood. Poverty also puts families in distress. The aim of the study was to understand the prevalence of different poverty trajectories for UK children, and their associations with multiple child health and maternal mental health outcomes.Methods We analysed data on 11 565 children who participated in sweeps of the UK Millennium Cohort Study from ages 9 months to 14 years. Outcomes were: (i) mental health at age 14, measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); (ii) physical health at age 14, measured by overweight/obese and any longstanding illness; and (iii) maternal mental health, measured by Kessler 6 scale. The main exposure of interest was relative poverty (less than 60% of median of equivalised household income). Poverty trajectories measured at 9 months, 3, 5, 7, 11 and 14 years were characterised using latent class analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for child sex, maternal education and maternal ethnicity.Results Four poverty trajectories were identified: class 1 (61.2% of children) (stable never-poor, reference group), class 2 (14.2%) (poverty in early childhood), class 3 (5.2%) (poverty in late childhood) and class 4 (19.4%) (persistent poverty). Any exposure to poverty was associated with increased risk of longstanding illness, and worse mental health outcomes for both mothers and children, with the largest effects for persistent poverty. Compared with children who were never poor, those from persistently poor households were at a higher risk of having mental health problems [SDQ score ≥17 (aOR: 2.76; 95% CI 2.29 to 3.34)], physical health problems [being overweight/obese (aOR: 1.23; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.41); longstanding illness (aOR: 1.82, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.15)] and mothers under psychological distress [Kessler 6 scale score ≥6 (aOR: 2.60; 95% CI 2.26 to 3.00)].
| Item Type: | Conference Item (Unspecified) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | 4206 Public Health, 42 Health Sciences, Mental Health, Behavioral and Social Science, Social Determinants of Health, Health Disparities and Racial or Ethnic Minority Health Research, Obesity, Women's Health, Health Disparities, Pediatric Research Initiative, Clinical Research, 2.4 Surveillance and distribution, 2.3 Psychological, social and economic factors, Mental health, 3 Good Health and Well Being, 1 No Poverty |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Oct 2018 09:54 |
| Last Modified: | 22 May 2026 21:38 |
| DOI: | 10.1136/jech-2018-SSMabstracts.63 |
| Open Access URL: | https://jech.bmj.com/content/72/Suppl_1/A31.1 |
| Related Websites: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3027734 |
| Disclaimer: | The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate. |
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