Evaluating a child-rearing family friendly community from user's aspect in Japan. (30th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Osawa, E; Ichikawa, M; Ochi, M; Mine, T; Otaga, M
• Is Part Of: European journal of public health. Volume 30(2020)Supplement 5
• Publication Date: 2020-09-30
• Subjects: Epidemiology -- Europe -- Periodicals; Public health -- Europe -- Periodicals; 362.109405
• DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.982
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1101-1262

Abstract

Abstract: Backgrounds: In Japan, some parents with an infant have limited network with others and are feeling anxious and less confident about their child rearing. Many measures for promoting a child-rearing family friendly community are implemented to promote families' healthy development in communities. However, a situation surrounding child-rearing in a community is diverse. The aim of this study is to examine possible indices to monitor and evaluate child-rearing family friendly community. Methods: This was a cross sectional study with using two kinds of data in one city in Japan. The first one was public data providing information about physical environment related to child-rearing of each community. The second data was on questionnaire answered by a parent of infants from 3 months to 48 months through 2013 to 2019. We merged two kinds of data and examined the association between environment and parents' willingness to raise up children in their community (4 scales) by mixed effect regression model stratified by age of months (under 1 year, 1- and 2-years and 3-years). Results: Targets of analysis included 2, 952 parents of infant under 1 year, 2, 342 of 1- and 2-years and 1, 977 of 3-year. For parents of infant of 1- and 2-years and 3-years, the closer a child-rearing support center was, the bigger the willingness to raise up a child in their community (β[95%CI]:-0.007[-0.014-/-0.0004], -0.007[-0.012/-0.002, respectively). Also, for parents of 1- and 2-years infant, the closer the park was, the bigger the willingness (-0.014[-0.028/-0.0008]). On the other hand, for parents of infant under 1 year, environment was not statistically significant on their willingness. Conclusions: It was indicated that user's easiness to visit a consulting space or playing place such as a child-rearing support center or a park become one of indicators for evaluating child-rearing family friendly community in Japan. Key messages: Child-rearing family friendly environment in a community should be evaluated from the user's aspect. Further studies including evaluation quality of places or services are needed.