TY - JOUR
T1 - Child care and common communicable illnesses in children aged 37 to 54 months
AU - Belsky, Jay
AU - Booth, Cathryn
AU - Spieker, Susan
AU - Bradley, Robert H.
AU - Burchinal, Margaret
AU - Cox, Martha
AU - Campbell, Susan
AU - Clarke-Stewart, Allison
AU - Friedman, Sarah L.
AU - Hirsh-Pasek, Kathryn
AU - Weinraub, Marsha
AU - Huston, Aletha
AU - Jaeger, Elizabeth
AU - Knoke, Bonnie
AU - McLeod, Lori
AU - Marshall, Nancy
AU - Robeson, Wendy
AU - McCartney, Kathleen
AU - Nader, Philip
AU - O'Brien, Marion
AU - Owen, Margaret Tresh
AU - Pianta, Robert
AU - Phillips, Deborah
AU - Vandell, Deborah Lowe
PY - 2003/2/1
Y1 - 2003/2/1
N2 - Objective: To examine the relationship between experience in child care and communicable illnesses (gastrointestinal tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection, and otitis media) in children aged 37 months to 54 months with particular focus on the effect of entry into child care after age 3 years. Design: Health, child care, and family data were obtained from more than 1100 participants in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care, a 10-site prospective study that began at birth. Longitudinal logistic regression analyses were performed using each type of communicable illness as the outcome variable, with family, child, and child care variables as predictors in the model. Results: For children aged 37 to 54 months, rates of upper respiratory tract illness, gastrointestinal tract illness, and ear infections were higher in those enrolled in child care arrangements with more than 6 children. During this period, children with experience in large-group care prior to age 3 years were less likely to be ill than children who entered child care for the first time after age 3 years. Even so, their rates were still higher than for those in small-group care or who were cared for at home between the ages of 37 and 54 months. Reported rates of respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract illnesses were higher for European American than African American children. Number of hours per week in child care was not a factor. Conclusion: Children in child care arrangements with more than 6 other children experience more bouts of upper respiratory tract illness between the ages of 37 and 54 months.
AB - Objective: To examine the relationship between experience in child care and communicable illnesses (gastrointestinal tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection, and otitis media) in children aged 37 months to 54 months with particular focus on the effect of entry into child care after age 3 years. Design: Health, child care, and family data were obtained from more than 1100 participants in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care, a 10-site prospective study that began at birth. Longitudinal logistic regression analyses were performed using each type of communicable illness as the outcome variable, with family, child, and child care variables as predictors in the model. Results: For children aged 37 to 54 months, rates of upper respiratory tract illness, gastrointestinal tract illness, and ear infections were higher in those enrolled in child care arrangements with more than 6 children. During this period, children with experience in large-group care prior to age 3 years were less likely to be ill than children who entered child care for the first time after age 3 years. Even so, their rates were still higher than for those in small-group care or who were cared for at home between the ages of 37 and 54 months. Reported rates of respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract illnesses were higher for European American than African American children. Number of hours per week in child care was not a factor. Conclusion: Children in child care arrangements with more than 6 other children experience more bouts of upper respiratory tract illness between the ages of 37 and 54 months.
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U2 - 10.1001/archpedi.157.2.196
DO - 10.1001/archpedi.157.2.196
M3 - Article
C2 - 12580692
AN - SCOPUS:0037298819
SN - 1072-4710
VL - 157
SP - 196
EP - 200
JO - Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
JF - Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
IS - 2
ER -