Study on Child Health Care
Association between child care environment and childhood early development
Gao Yue, Zhang Yunting, Zhao Jin, Shan Wenjie, Wang Xuelai, Zhang Zichen, Zhu Qi, Dong Yuanyuan, Jiang Fan
Published 2021-03-02
Cite as Chin J Pediatr, 2021, 59(3): 175-180. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112140-20200730-00768
Abstract
ObjectiveTo investigate the factors related to child care environment and the association between child care environment and children′s early development.
MethodsUsing stratified cluster random sampling, a total of 22 509 children newly enrolled to kindergarten from 187 kindergartens of 16 districts in Shanghai in 2017 were enrolled. A survey was conducted by parent-reported questionnaire. The index of child care environment (ICCE) and the early human capacity index were used to evaluate family child care environment and children′s early development respectively. The sample was divided into four groups based on the ICCE score: the lowest family childcare environment (ICCE≤10 scores), lower middle (ICCE=11 scores), upper middle (ICCE=12 scores), and the highest (ICCE=13 scores). The linear regression model and Logistic regression model were used to analyze the factors related to child care environment and the association between child care environment and children′s early development respectively.
ResultsA total of 22 067 children aged (44±7) months, including 11 425 boys (51.8%) and 10 642 girls (48.2%), participated in this study. The multnomial linear regression revealed girls, higher maternal education, higher household annual income, single-child, non-divorced parents, and early breastfeeding experience were protective factors of child care environment for children newly enrolled to kindergarten (β=0.064, 0.238, 0.119, 0.096, 0.113, and 0.032; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.020-0.108, 0.175-0.302, 0.058-0.180, 0.046-0.146, -0.012-0.242, and -0.051-0.116; all P<0.01). The multinomial Logistic regression revealed compared with the highest child care environment group, the odds ratio of children′s early development risks in upper midclle, lower middle, and the lowest child care environment groups were 1.543 (95%CI: 1.373-1.735, P<0.01), 2.537 (95%CI: 2.254-2.856, P<0.01), and 4.198 (95%CI: 3.757-4.690, P<0.01), respectively.
ConclusionsThe child care environment is not only significantly related to family structure and socioeconomic status, but also to early breastfeeding experience. The child care environment plays an important role in promoting childhood early development.
Key words:
Child; Child care; Child development
Contributor Information
Gao Yue
Department of Child Health Care, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Urumqi 830000, China
Zhang Yunting
Institute of Child Health Management, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
Zhao Jin
Institute of Child Health Management, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
Shan Wenjie
Institute of Child Health Management, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
Wang Xuelai
Institute of Child Health Management, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
Zhang Zichen
Institute of Child Health Management, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
Zhu Qi
Institute of Child Health Management, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
Dong Yuanyuan
Institute of Child Health Management, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
Jiang Fan
Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Environment and Child Health, Shanghai Children's Medical Center Afflilated Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai 200127, China
