Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children
Abstract Background Previous studies have proposed that having parents out of work may influence adolescent illness behaviour and school attendance. However, prior research investigating this question has been limited by retrospective reporting and case control studies. In a large epidemiological st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4368-7 |
| _version_ | 1828810659269181440 |
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| author | Mari Hysing Keith J. Petrie Tormod Bøe Børge Sivertsen |
| author_facet | Mari Hysing Keith J. Petrie Tormod Bøe Børge Sivertsen |
| author_sort | Mari Hysing |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Previous studies have proposed that having parents out of work may influence adolescent illness behaviour and school attendance. However, prior research investigating this question has been limited by retrospective reporting and case control studies. In a large epidemiological study we investigated whether parental work absence was associated with symptom complaints and increased school absenteeism in adolescents. Methods We analysed data from a large epidemiological study of 10,243 Norwegian adolescents aged 16–19. Participants completed survey at school, which included demographic data, parental work absence and current health complaints. An official registry provided school attendance data. Results Parental work absence was significantly related to the number of adolescent symptom complaints as well as school absenteeism. Having a father out of work was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile of symptom reporting by an odds-ratio of 2.2 and mother by 1.6 (compared to the lowest quartile). Similarly, parental work absenteeism was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile for school absence by an odds-ratio of 1.9 for a father being out of work and 1.5 for a mother out of work. We found that the number of adolescent symptom complaints mediated the relationship between parental work absenteeism and school absenteeism. Conclusion We found that parental work absence was significantly associated with the number of adolescent symptom complaints and school absenteeism. The results suggest that parents may play a critical modelling role in the intergenerational transmission of illness and disability behaviour. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:16:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55cdce5d8c9543ec9a7eafc6b3948208 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:16:19Z |
| publishDate | 2017-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-55cdce5d8c9543ec9a7eafc6b39482082022-12-22T00:29:23ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582017-05-011711710.1186/s12889-017-4368-7Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent childrenMari Hysing0Keith J. Petrie1Tormod Bøe2Børge Sivertsen3The Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Research HealthDepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of AucklandThe Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Research HealthThe Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Research HealthAbstract Background Previous studies have proposed that having parents out of work may influence adolescent illness behaviour and school attendance. However, prior research investigating this question has been limited by retrospective reporting and case control studies. In a large epidemiological study we investigated whether parental work absence was associated with symptom complaints and increased school absenteeism in adolescents. Methods We analysed data from a large epidemiological study of 10,243 Norwegian adolescents aged 16–19. Participants completed survey at school, which included demographic data, parental work absence and current health complaints. An official registry provided school attendance data. Results Parental work absence was significantly related to the number of adolescent symptom complaints as well as school absenteeism. Having a father out of work was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile of symptom reporting by an odds-ratio of 2.2 and mother by 1.6 (compared to the lowest quartile). Similarly, parental work absenteeism was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile for school absence by an odds-ratio of 1.9 for a father being out of work and 1.5 for a mother out of work. We found that the number of adolescent symptom complaints mediated the relationship between parental work absenteeism and school absenteeism. Conclusion We found that parental work absence was significantly associated with the number of adolescent symptom complaints and school absenteeism. The results suggest that parents may play a critical modelling role in the intergenerational transmission of illness and disability behaviour.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4368-7School attendanceSymptom complaintsAdolescenceParental work absence |
| spellingShingle | Mari Hysing Keith J. Petrie Tormod Bøe Børge Sivertsen Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children BMC Public Health School attendance Symptom complaints Adolescence Parental work absence |
| title | Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children |
| title_full | Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children |
| title_fullStr | Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children |
| title_short | Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children |
| title_sort | parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children |
| topic | School attendance Symptom complaints Adolescence Parental work absence |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4368-7 |
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