PURPOSE: To explore the associations between mother's and father's employment status separately and together and the subjective health of children; and how parental education and financial strain can modify these associations. METHODS: Data were obtained from 2836 respondents aged 14 to 22 years (mean age 17.7 years). Logistic regression models were used with three subjective health indicators: self-rated health, long-standing illness, and health complaints; and ANOVA with one indicator: long-term well-being. Father's and mother's employment status was coded as follows: employed, short-term unemployed (less than one year), long-term unemployed (more than one year), and parental employment status as follows: both employed, one unemployed and both unemployed. All analyses were done separately for males and females. RESULTS: Father's long-term unemployment was a significant predictor of moderate self-rated health and low long-term well-being among males and females. Mother's long-term unemployment was negatively associated with self-rated health of females and long-standing illness among males. No associations between father's or mother's unemployment and occurrence of health complaints or between short-term unemployment and worse health of children were found. Unemployment of both parents negatively influenced self-rated health of both genders and long-term well-being of females. After including parental education and financial strain in the model, the negative effect of father's and mother's long-term unemployment on health remained significant. However, influence of unemployment of both parents on health disappeared after adjusting for these variables. CONCLUSIONS: Parental long-term unemployment (especially of fathers) is negatively associated with adolescents' subjective health, and this association remains even when the social class and financial strain is taken into account.
PURPOSE: To explore the associations between mother's and father's employment status separately and together and the subjective health of children; and how parental education and financial strain can modify these associations. METHODS: Data were obtained from 2836 respondents aged 14 to 22 years (mean age 17.7 years). Logistic regression models were used with three subjective health indicators: self-rated health, long-standing illness, and health complaints; and ANOVA with one indicator: long-term well-being. Father's and mother's employment status was coded as follows: employed, short-term unemployed (less than one year), long-term unemployed (more than one year), and parental employment status as follows: both employed, one unemployed and both unemployed. All analyses were done separately for males and females. RESULTS: Father's long-term unemployment was a significant predictor of moderate self-rated health and low long-term well-being among males and females. Mother's long-term unemployment was negatively associated with self-rated health of females and long-standing illness among males. No associations between father's or mother's unemployment and occurrence of health complaints or between short-term unemployment and worse health of children were found. Unemployment of both parents negatively influenced self-rated health of both genders and long-term well-being of females. After including parental education and financial strain in the model, the negative effect of father's and mother's long-term unemployment on health remained significant. However, influence of unemployment of both parents on health disappeared after adjusting for these variables. CONCLUSIONS: Parental long-term unemployment (especially of fathers) is negatively associated with adolescents' subjective health, and this association remains even when the social class and financial strain is taken into account.
Authors: Maria Sleskova; Jolanda Tuinstra; Andrea Madarasova Geckova; Jitse P van Dijk; Ferdinand Salonna; Johan W Groothoff; Sijmen A Reijneveld Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2006-10-12 Impact factor: 3.295