Family, neighbourhood, and children’s health: Trends and racial/ethnic disparities between 2003 and 2007 in the U.S.

Abstract

The present study examined the race/ethnicity-specific trend of parent-reported health among children aged 17 years and under in the U.S. between 2003 and 2007, and its relationship with family background, neighbourhood support and neighbourhood safety. Data from the 2003 and 2007 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) were merged and analysed after taking into account the weighting and the complex sampling design of the data. Trends in children's health and racial/ethnic disparities were identified for this time period. Multivariate models were analysed to examine the association between children's health and their family background variables, neighbourhood support and safety, and other socio-demographic variables. Race/ethnicity-specific stratified models were also performed. Our findings indicated an adverse trend in the parent-reported health among children in the U.S. from 2003 to 2007, and little progress has been made towards reducing the health disparities by race/ethnicity. Racial/ethnic disparities also existed in children's family background and neighbourhood support and safety. Further, the health effects of family background and neighbourhood characteristics differed in magnitudes and directions by race/ethnicity. These findings suggest that different intervention/prevention strategies should be employed in improving childhood health for different racial/ethnic groups.