The Physical and Mental Health of Off-Reserve First Nations Children of Teen Mothers

Abstract

The teen birth rate for First Nations women is higher than the teen birth rate for non-Aboriginal women. While associations between physical and behavioural outcomes have been examined in non-Aboriginal children with teen mothers, fewer studies have focused on First Nations children of teen mothers. This study uses data from the 2006 Aboriginal Children's Survey to compare physical and mental health outcomes of 2-to 5-year-old off-reserve First Nations children of teenage and older mothers. There were few differences in physical health outcomes between off-reserve First Nations children of teen mothers and older mothers with the exception of dental health. However, for all of the mental health outcomes examined, child prosocial behaviours, emotional symptoms, inattention-hyperactivity, and conduct problems, scores were poorer for off-reserve First Nations children of teen mothers. Although the differences in prosocial and emotional problems were attributable to socio-economic factors, differences in child inattention-hyperactivity and conduct problems were not. Future research would help our understanding of the differences in outcomes between off-reserve First Nations children of teen and older mothers. French Abstract LA SANTÉ PHYSIQUE ET MENTALE DES ENFANTS DES PREMIÈRES NATIONS VIVANT HORS DES RÉSERVES ET NÉS DE MÈRES ADOLESCENTES Anne Guèvremont et Dafna KohenStatistique Canada Résumé Le taux de natalité à l'adolescentes femmes des Premières Nations est plus élevé que celui des feemmes non autochtones. Bien que les associations entre les résultats physiques et comportementaux aient été examinées chez les enfants non autochtones nés de mères adolescentes, un moins grand nombre d'études ont mis l'accent sur les enfants des Premières Nations nés de mères adolescentes. Cette étude utilise les données recueillies dans le cadre de l'Enquête sur les enfants autochtones de 2006 afin de comparer les résultats en matière de santé physique et mentale des enfants des Premières Nations vivant hors des réserves nés de mères adolescentes et de mères plus âgées, qui sont âgés de deux à cinq ans. Les résultats sur le plan de la santé physique diffèrent peu entre les enfants des Premières Nations vivant hors des réserves nés de mères adolescentes et de mères plus âgées, à l'exception de la santé dentaire. Toutefois, pour ce qui est de tous les résultats en matière de santé mentale examinés -comportements prosociaux chez les enfants, symptômes affectifs, inattention et hyperactivité et problèmes de comportement -ceux obtenus par les enfants des Premières Nations vivant hors des réserves nés de mères adolescentes étaient plus faibles. Les différences en matière de problèmes prosociaux et affectifs étaient attribuables à des facteurs socioéconomiques, ce qui n'était pas le cas des différences sur les plans de l'inattention et de l'hyperactivité ainsi que des problèmes de comportement. Des recherches futures pourraient améliorer notre compréhension des différences touchant les résultats entre les enfants des Premières Na...

The Development and Growth of Children Aged under 5 years in Northeastern Thailand: a Cross-Sectional Study

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Teen pregnancy in Inuit communities – gaps still needed to be filled

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