Published on November 13 2024

Social inequalities in child mental health trajectories: a longitudinal study using birth cohort data 12 countries

Social inequalities in child mental health are an important public health concern. Whilst previous studies have examined inequalities at a single time point, very few have used repeated measures outcome data to describe how these inequalities emerge. Our aims were to describe social inequalities in child internalising and externalising problems across multiple countries and to explore how these inequalities change as children age.

A longitudinal study on the evolution of social inequalities in children's mental health trajectories

Whilst it is well‐established that children born to disadvantaged socio‐economic circumstances (SEC) generally have worse mental health outcomes [1], most studies have assessed mental health inequalities at only a single time point [2]. Studies using repeated measures outcome data are important to establish the age at which inequalities in child mental health emerge and how they change during childhood [3, 4]. Identifying which outcomes show the most persistent inequalities, the ages at which inequalities emerge and the patterns of change over time can provide targets for policy and intervention.

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