David J. De Wit

Chronic physical health conditions and disability among Canadian school-aged children: a national profile

Objective: The objective of this study was to provide a national health and disability profile of Canadian school-aged children based on the World Health Organizations definitions of health condition and disability that would facilitate international comparisons of child health data. Methods: Data were used from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, a 1994 – 95 population-based sample of 22 831 children. Findings: An estimated total of 30.3% of Canadian children aged 6 to 11 had one or more chronic physical health conditions/impairments, while 3.6% had activity-limiting conditions/impairments. Children living with one parent were significantly more likely to have activity-limiting conditions/impairments than those living with two parents. Children with conditions/impairments, particularly those with activity limitations, were significantly more likely than children without health problems to have experienced mental health conditions and learning disabilities, missed school days, received special education, visited health professionals, been hospitalized, and used prescription medication. Conclusion: Important differences were found among children in a number of areas as a function of overall physical health status. The findings emphasize the importance of measuring activity limitations distinctly from chronic conditions and impairments, and, perhaps, of measuring impairments distinctly from chronic conditions, and of comparing children with such health problems to children without health problems in order to obtain a more accurate picture of the impact of health on childrens lives. The World Health Organizations distinct definitions of health condition and disability facilitate a dimensional approach for describing child health that can serve to clarify this field of study and improve comparability of data across countries.

Student perceptions of diminished teacher and classmate support following the transition to high school: are they related to declining attendance?

Student perceptions of teacher and classmate support have been identified as a powerful protective factor for a range of childrens outcomes. Evidence suggests that students perceive less support as they advance to higher grades, a factor that may be linked to declines in school attendance. This study utilized a sample of 2,616 students enrolled in 23 high schools followed from Grade 9 into Grade 10 to test the hypothesis that perceptions of declining teacher and classmate support are associated with declining school attendance. Growth curve analysis revealed significant declines in perceived support and attendance, particularly among boys. In support of our hypothesis, declining perceptions of support were positively associated with declining attendance. Pathways linking support to attendance were similar across gender. Implications of the results are discussed for developing school policies and practices.

Determinants of the risk and timing of alcohol and illicit drug use onset among natives and non‐natives: Similarities and differences in family attachment processes

This study examines data from Native Ontario reserve residents (Embree, 1993) and a sample from the Ontario Health Survey Supplement (1990-91) in order to compare and contrast the importance of family attributes such as parent-child attachment to Native and Non-native patterns of drug and alcohol use onset. Proportional Hazards modeling (Cox, 1972) was employed to identify factors associated with the risk and timing of onset of alcohol and illicit drugs for both cultural groups. For both Natives and Non-natives alike, and considering both drinking and drug use onset together, age cohort predominates as a risk factor, with youngest groups at greatest risk, and especially in the case of drug use other than alcohol. For the model of drug use timing, age of alcohol use onset is the second best predictor for Natives, although its effect is still apparent, albeit weaker, in the case of Non-natives. As for family characteristics, a number of factors emerge as determinants of risk and depend, in part, on the cultural group and the substance under consideration. Consistent with attachment theorys prediction about the universal applicability of the need for close parent-child relations (Bowlby, 1969), the findings for both Natives and Non-natives alike point to the salience of psychosocial attachment and other indicators of family functioning in affecting early onset drinking and drug use, behaviors well-recognized to lead to potentially adverse mental and physical health consequences as well as to negative social outcomes.