Table 5.
Estimation of child health and physical growth at 24 months of age (logistic or weighted least-squares regression, nonstandardized coefficients and standard errors reported)
| Mom’s rating of child’s health | Child’s weight | BMI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odds ratio (SE) | WLS (SE) | WLS (SE) | |
| Predictor Block 1—Basic child attributes | F 1.72 | F 8.54*** | F 8.78*** |
| Female child | 1.25 (0.21) | −0.37 (0.12)* | −0.41 (0.17)* |
| Child age | 1.00 (0.07) | −0.00 (0.06) | −0.33 (0.07) |
| Child age, squared | 1.00 (0.01) | 0.02 (0.01) | 0.03 (0.01)* |
| Predictor Block 2—Birth events and health status at 9 mos. | F 15.93*** | F 19.87*** | F 4.88*** |
| Premature birth | 1.65 (0.59) | 0.45 (0.31) | 0.61 (0.35) |
| Child’s weight (moderate to low) | 0.64 (0.12)* | −0.68 (0.17)*** | −0.25 (0.21) |
| Child’s weight (very low) | 0.33 (0.13)* | −1.36 (0.30)*** | −0.60 (0.36) |
| Multiple births | 1.56 (0.33)* | 0.21 (0.17) | 0.22 (0.21) |
| Fertility intervention | 0.55 (0.21) | −0.15 (0.28) | 0.56 (0.43) |
| Child’s health excellent at 9 mos. | 11.0 (8.90)* | 0.51 (0.18)* | −0.08 (0.17) |
| Child’s health very good at 9 mos. | 4.93 (3.95) | 0.49 (0.19)* | −0.03 (0.20) |
| Child’s health good at 9 mos. | 1.90 (1.50) | 0.35 (0.21) | −0.14 (0.26) |
| Child’s weight at 9 mos. | – | 0.37 (0.05)*** | 0.28 (0.04) |
| Predictor Block 3 - Parenting behaviors, nutrition, mother’s mental health | F 1.88 | F 0.88 | F 0.99 |
| Maternal depression | 0.97 (0.02) | 0.01 (0.02) | 0.01 (0.03) |
| Providing balanced meals | 0.86 (0.32) | 0.11 (0.18) | 0.22 (0.26) |
| Soda, fruit drink at or between meals | 1.17 (0.21) | −0.08 (0.14) | −0.05 (0.15)* |
| Harsh discipline | 1.06 (0.11) | −0.05 (0.07) | −0.10 (0.09) |
| Punish child when rules are broken | 1.05 (0.16) | 0.18 (0.13) | 0.23 (0.16) |
| Doctor’s visit | 1.03 (0.03) | –a | –a |
| Preliteracy activities | 1.06 (0.03) | 0.07 (0.04) | 0.06 (0.05) |
| Predictor Block 4—Maternal relationships and efficacy | F 0.69 | F 1.70 | F 1.75 |
| Maternal rating of child as average difficulty | 0.86 (0.13) | 0.09 (0.13) | −0.05 (0.17)* |
| Maternal rating of child as difficult | 0.85 (0.20) | 0.17 (0.19) | 0.28 (0.24)** |
| Closeness to her own mother as fairly close | 1.01 (0.23) | 0.42 (0.20)* | 0.35 (0.22) |
| Closeness to her own mother as not close | 1.01(0.27) | 0.05 (0.19) | −0.15 (0.20) |
| Predictor Block 5—Family support | F 1.92 | F 3.57* | F 3.70* |
| Father at home | 1.09 (0.22) | −0.39 (0.18)* | 0.54 (0.23) |
| Social class index | 0.74 (0.09)* | −0.21 (0.13) | −0.21 (0.15) |
| Child’s health insurance | 1.32 (0.55) | 0.40 (0.40) | 0.48 (0.34) |
| Children to adults ratio | 0.77 (0.08)* | −0.30 (0.11)* | −0.28 (0.12) |
| Maternal employment (Full-time) | 1.12 (0.19) | 0.25 (0.14) | 0.24 (0.19) |
| Maternal employment (Part-time) | 0.95 (0.20) | −0.10 (0.13) | −0.06 (0.17) |
| WIC Benefits | 0.85 (0.12) | −0.10 (0.16) | −0.05 (0.16) |
| Predictor Block 6—Ethnic and linguistic group membership | F 5.85*** | F 1.25 | F 0.35 |
| Latino, Mexican heritage | 0.45 (0.13)** | 0.03 (0.20) | 0.00 (0.20) |
| Latino, Other heritage | 1.12 (0.39) | −0.40 (0.30) | 0.22 (0.31) |
| Black | 0.63 (0.16) | 0.05 (0.23) | −0.08 (0.23) |
| Asian-Pacific Islander | 0.78 (0.25) | −0.30 (0.20) | −0.17 (0.23) |
| Predictor Block 7—Acculturation | F 4.50*** | F 0.61 | F 0.68 |
| Home language, Spanish | 0.88 (0.31) | 0.15 (0.30) | 0.04 (0.35) |
| Home language, other non-English | 0.68 (0.25) | 0.14 (0.27) | −0.17 (0.26) |
| Foreign born | 1.25 (0.48) | 0.27 (0.30) | 0.44 (0.30) |
| Years residing in U.S. | 1.02(0.01) | 0.01 (0.01) | 0.01 (0.01) |
| N of cases (births) | 7,551 | 6,955 | 6,832 |
| F-statistic, complete model | 4.50*** | 12.41*** | 4.97*** |
| Strata and PSUs with sufficient data | 88, 114 | 88, 112 | 88, 112 |
| R2 (for WLS regressions) | – | 0.20 | 0.11 |
* P < .05, ** P < .01, *** P < .001
aDirect assessment at home visit, so no bias possible vis-à-vis access to doctor or medical clinic