Impact of perinatal health and socio-demographic factors on school education outcomes: A population study of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in the Northern Territory

Aim This study investigated the association between early‐life risk factors and school education outcomes. Methods This is an historical cohort study of 7601 children (61% were Indigenous) born in the Northern Territory between 1999 and 2004. Information was linked, for each child on: perinatal heal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of paediatrics and child health 2015-08, Vol.51 (8), p.778-786
Main Authors: Guthridge, Steven, Li, Lin, Silburn, Sven, Li, Shu Qin, McKenzie, John, Lynch, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Cohort Studies
Databases, Factual
Education
educational measurement
Educational Status
Female
Humans
Indigenous population
Male
Native children & youth
Northern Territory
Perinatal Care
Population Groups
Pregnancy
Reading
Risk factors
Social Class
socio-economic factor
Socioeconomic Factors
Young Adult
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Summary:Aim This study investigated the association between early‐life risk factors and school education outcomes. Methods This is an historical cohort study of 7601 children (61% were Indigenous) born in the Northern Territory between 1999 and 2004. Information was linked, for each child on: perinatal health, student enrolment and National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Year 3 results. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between selected risk factors and a NAPLAN result ‘below’ the national minimum standard (NMS) in reading and numeracy. Results Indigenous children had much higher odds, than non‐Indigenous children, of a result below the NMS for both reading (odds ratio (OR): 8.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.55–9.74) ) and numeracy (OR: 11.52, 95% CI: 9.94–13.35). When adjusted for all other variables, the increased odds were attenuated for both reading (OR: 2.89, 95% CI: 2.46–3.40) and numeracy (OR: 3.19, 95% CI: 2.65–3.84). Common risk factors for Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children included higher birth order, maternal smoking in pregnancy and being a boy. There were gradients of decreasing risk with increasing education level of primary care giver and increasing maternal age. Among Indigenous children only, risks increased when living in remote areas, with younger age (
ISSN:1034-4810
1440-1754
1440-1754
DOI:10.1111/jpc.12852