Abstract
Background: Children and young people (CYP) with long-term physical conditions(LTCs) are more likely to have poorer mental health and more school absenteeismcompared with CYP with no LTCs. However, there is limited longitudinal research,and the extent to which these difficulties persist in CYP with LTCs is unknown.Furthermore, little is known about the relative impact of different types of LTC onmental health and absenteeism.
Methods: We investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of differentLTCs with mental health and school absenteeism in a large (N=7977) nationally rep-resentative survey of CYP in Great Britain and its 3-year follow-up. Psychopathologywas assessed using the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ), and diagnosis of any psychiatric disorder using the Development andWellbeing Assessment (DAWBA). Days absent and persistent absence (missing 10%or more of school days) were reported by parents.
Results: Compared with those with no LTCs, CYP with any LTC had higher SDQ totaldifficulties scores at baseline (adjusted mean difference 1.4, 1.1–1.6) and follow-up(1.1, 0.8–1.4) and were more likely to have a psychiatric disorder at baseline (adjustedodds ratio [aOR] 1.59, 1.34–1.89) and follow-up (1.75, 1.44–2.12). Children with anyLTC also missed more days of school at baseline (adjusted incidence rate ratio1.47, 1.31–1.64) and follow-up (1.17, 1.00–1.36) and were more likely to bepersistently absent (aOR baseline 1.78, 1.48–2.14; follow-up 1.27, 1.00–1.61).Neurodevelopmental disorders, migraines and atopic conditions were particularlystrongly associated with both mental health and absenteeism.
Conclusions: Children with LTCs had poorer mental health and more school absencethan those with no LTCs. Clinicians should routinely enquire about mental health andschool attendance in CYP with LTCs and should collaborate with families and schoolsto ensure these children are provided with sufficient mental health and educationalsupport.Received: 8 February 2021 Revised: 23 August 2021 Accepted: 26 August 2021DOI: 10.1111/cch.12910This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,provided the original work is properly cited.© 2021 The Authors.Child: Care, Health and Developmentpublished by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.110Child Care Health Dev.2022;48:110–119.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cch
Reference:
Finning, K., Neochoriti Varvarrigou, I., Ford, T., Panagi, L., & Ukoumunne, O. C. (2022). Mental health and school absenteeism in children with long-term physical conditions: A secondary analysis of the British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Surveys 2004 and 2007. Child: Care, Health and Development, 48( 1), 110– 119. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12910