Assessing the Connection Between Health and Education: Identifying Potential Leverage Points for Public Health to Improve School Attendance

Abstract

Objectives We examined multiple variables influencing school truancy to identify potential leverage points to improve school attendance. Methods A cross-sectional observational design was used to analyze inner-city data collected in Los Angeles County, California, during 2010 to 2011. We constructed an ordinal logistic regression model with cluster robust standard errors to examine the association between truancy and various covariates. Results The sample was predominantly Hispanic (84.3%). Multivariable analysis revealed greater truancy among students (1) with mild (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22, 2.01) and severe (AOR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.04, 3.13) depression (referent: no depression), (2) whose parents were neglectful (AOR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.21, 4.03) or indulgent (AOR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.04, 2.82; referent: authoritative parents), (3) who perceived less support from classes, teachers, and other students regarding college preparation (AOR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.81, 0.95), (4) who had low grade point averages (AOR = 2.34; 95% CI = 1.49, 4.38), and (5) who reported using alcohol (AOR = 3.47; 95% CI = 2.34, 5.14) or marijuana (AOR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.06, 2.38) during the past month. Conclusions Study findings suggest depression, substance use, and parental engagement as potential leverage points for public health to intervene to improve school attendance.

Prevalence and factors associated with depression symptoms among school-going adolescents in Central Uganda

“…Previous researchers have explained that the myriad of complex challenges associated with chronic disease conditions may interfere with regular school attendance [46–48], lead to peer rejection which may have detrimental effects on their self-concept [49, 50] and may result in inappropriate parental attitudes and behaviors, which may impair psychological well-being [51]. …”

The Association Between Electronic Bullying and School Absenteeism Among High School Students in the United States

“…Parent‐, school‐, and neighborhood‐level factors influence the amount of school missed. When compared with children of authoritative parents, children of parents who were neglectful or indulgent were associated with more school truancy . Research shows more truancy among students who perceived their classes, teachers, and other students as being less focused on college preparation .…”

“…Lapses in school attendance are associated with a number of negative consequences for adolescents as well as the communities in which they live. Missing school is associated with poorer school performance, greater participation in risk‐taking behaviors, and greater risk for dropping out of school all together . Truancy is also associated with increased neighborhood crime …”

“…Dental pain led students with poor oral health to be almost 3 times more likely to have school absences than those who did not have poor oral health . Mild and severe depression as well as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with comorbid depression, anxiety, and phobias have all been linked to absenteeism. However, these relationships could suffer from endogeneity (endogenous variables are correlated with the error term often as a result of uncontrolled confounding or reverse causality between the independent variable of interest and dependent variable); thus, the actual effect and the direction of effect may be unclear …”

“…Risk‐taking behaviors are associated with negative attendance outcomes for students. One analysis found that inner‐city, low‐income high school students in Los Angeles who used alcohol or marijuana during the past month were significantly more likely to miss school …”