Parental educational level and psychological positive health and health complaints in Spanish children and adolescents. (20th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Padilla‐Moledo, C.; Ruiz, J. R.; Castro‐Piñero, J.
• Is Part Of: Child care health and development. Volume 42:Number 4(2016)
• Page Start: 534
• Page End: 543
• Publication Date: 2016-04-20
• Subjects: children and adolescents -- health complaints -- parental educational level -- psychological positive health; Child development -- Periodicals; Child care -- Periodicals; Children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Children with disabilities -- Periodicals; 155.405
• DOI: 10.1111/cch.12342
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-1862

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Interest on the impact of socioeconomic differences on youth's health is growing. The aim of the present study was to examine the association of parental educational level with psychological positive health and health complaints in Spanish children and adolescents. Methods: Parental educational level, psychological positive health indicators (perceived health status, life satisfaction, quality of family relationships, quality of peer relationships and academic performance) and health complaint index (headache, stomach ache, backache, feeling low, irritability or bad temper, feeling nervous, difficulties getting to sleep, feeling dizzy) were self‐reported using the Health Behavior in School‐aged Children questionnaire in 685 (366 boys and 319 girls) children and adolescents. Results: Children reporting parents with non‐university studies (father, mother or both) had significantly higher odd ratio of having lower academic performance, lower life satisfaction, perceiving their health status as otherwise (vs. excellent) and having health complaints sometime than their counterparts reporting parents with university studies (father, mother or both). Conclusion: Current results provide evidence that children having parents with a university degree (father, mother or both) are more likely to have higher psychological positive health and lower health complaints than children reporting parents with non‐university studies. This is particularly important for the welfare policy that must pay attention for implementing programs for helping population to access to university studies by their impact on youth health.