Poor children 50% more likely to have health problems

One in six three-year-olds, or 11,000 children, have a serious long-standing health condition, according to a report from the Institute of Public Health in Ireland to be published today.

It found boys were more likely to have such conditions than girls and children in the lowest socio-economic households were 50 per cent more likely than those in other households to have such a condition.

The report is based on an analysis of information from the Growing Up in Ireland ongoing study which involves more than 11,000 children. It defines a long-standing health condition as one that has troubled, or will trouble, a child over a period of time.

It found that 9.5 per cent of children, or 6,600, had diagnosed asthma or asthma symptoms, 4 per cent, or 2,800, had eczema or skin allergies while almost 6 per cent (4,100) had sight problems. Some 3.9 per cent, or 2,700, had a hearing problem requiring correction.

The institute’s research analyst Steve Barron said these health conditions were unequally distributed across the three-year-old population. Boys were 50 per cent more likely than girls to have such conditions. Children whose primary carer was ill were over 100 per cent more likely than those with healthy primary carers to have such a condition.

Problems

The study also found children with poor birth circumstances more likely to have sight problems. Children with a low birth weight were 70 per cent more likely to have sight problems, and children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy 50 per cent more likely.

The institute's director of research Prof Kevin Balanda said these conditions could affect a child in many ways.

“Children with these conditions can have poorer quality of life, poorer social and emotional development, and poorer educational achievement,” he said. “Knowing the characteristics of children with these conditions helps us develop policies and plan services for children and their families.”

He said the health inequalities among three-year-olds reflected those reported in adults in other reports by the institute.

“An important part of supporting parents and families is promoting the health and health behaviours of mothers,” the report stated. “The findings in relation to low birth weight and maternal smoking during pregnancy emphasise that child health protection starts in the womb.”

The report, Long-standing Health Conditions Among Three Year Old Children in the Republic of Ireland in 2011, will be launched today by Minister for Health Leo Varadkar and Minister for Children James Reilly at a seminar in Dublin.

Dr Reilly echoed the finding that child health promotion began even before birth. “Supporting parents and families is recognised as a key aspect of promoting and maintaining the health of children,” he said.

Mr Varadkar said helping parents and health professionals to be more familiar with the characteristics that placed children at higher risk of long-standing conditions would improve the chances of prevention or early detection and intervention. “Many of these characteristics can be changed,” he said.