The Impact of Ethnic-Immigrant Status and Obesity-Related Risk Factors on Behavioral Problems among US Children and Adolescents
Table 2
Predictive validity of the behavioral problems index (BPI) showing its impact on child and parental health among immigrants and the native-born: the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health.
Prevalence (%)2
SE
Odds ratio
95% CI
Prevalence (%)2
SE
Odds ratio
95% CI
Prevalence (%)2
SE
Odds ratio
95% CI
Fair or poor child health status
School absence > 2 weeks
Child's lack of social participation
Immigrants (behavioral problems index
(mean index score = 100; SD = 201)
66.27–85.87
3.63
1.10
1.00
Reference
2.17
0.79
1.00
Reference
48.56
2.74
1.00
Reference
85.88–98.00
6.51
1.84
1.85
0.78–4.35
2.61
0.94
1.21
0.43–3.39
48.59
3.04
1.00
0.73–1.38
98.01–125.34
6.97
1.43
1.99
0.93–4.23
2.51
0.41
1.16
0.52–2.60
52.86
2.53
1.19
0.89–1.59
125.35–232.27
18.85
4.04
6.16
2.75–13.78
8.09
2.73
3.97
1.42–11.12
63.53
4.15
1.84
1.22–2.79
Native born (behavioral problems index)
66.27–85.87
1.95
0.40
1.00
Reference
4.30
0.54
1.00
Reference
38.03
1.07
1.00
Reference
85.88–98.00
1.87
0.26
0.96
0.58–1.57
5.62
0.53
1.32
0.96–1.83
35.25
0.95
0.89
0.79–1.00
98.01–125.34
2.70
0.32
1.40
0.87–2.25
6.39
0.45
1.52
1.13–2.04
39.70
0.84
1.07
0.96–1.20
125.35–232.27
8.29
0.92
4.55
2.83–7.31
12.65
0.99
3.22
2.36–4.40
57.75
1.53
2.23
1.91–2.59
Fair or poor maternal health status
Fair or poor paternal health status
Parents unhappy with each other
Immigrants (behavioral problems index)
66.27–85.87
1.54
0.37
1.00
Reference
1.52
0.38
1.00
Reference
13.22
1.61
1.00
Reference
85.88–98.00
6.14
1.36
4.18
2.15–8.13
5.40
1.47
3.70
1.75–7.82
17.88
2.22
1.43
0.95–2.14
98.01–125.34
9.02
1.64
6.33
3.42–11.73
9.34
1.69
6.67
3.56–12.50
29.36
2.63
2.73
1.88–3.95
125.35–232.27
26.34
4.24
22.86
12.04–43.40
18.33
3.71
14.53
7.28–29.01
33.30
4.37
3.28
2.04–5.26
Native born (behavioral problems index)
66.27–85.87
3.43
0.36
1.00
Reference
2.80
0.59
1.00
Reference
10.14
0.73
1.00
Reference
85.88–98.00
4.02
0.36
1.18
0.89–1.56
3.19
0.57
1.14
0.66–1.99
14.28
0.73
1.48
1.21–1.80
98.01–125.34
7.52
0.44
2.29
1.79–2.92
5.08
0.49
1.86
1.17–2.96
19.14
0.70
2.10
1.75–2.51
125.35–232.27
23.57
1.56
8.68
6.62–11.38
14.06
1.67
5.68
3.44–9.37
36.28
1.90
5.04
4.03–6.32
Parental stress or aggravation3
Parents not coping well with daily demands of parenting
Immigrants (behavioral problems index)
66.27–85.87
7.23
1.76
1.00
Reference
28.19
2.40
1.00
Reference
85.88–98.00
6.87
1.60
0.95
0.46–1.92
35.32
2.70
1.39
1.00–1.93
98.01–125.34
12.69
1.75
1.86
1.02–3.40
49.21
2.56
2.47
1.82–3.36
125.35–232.27
38.72
4.57
8.11
4.29–15.33
58.88
4.56
3.65
2.36–5.64
Native born (behavioral problems index)
66.27–85.87
2.21
0.23
1.00
Reference
23.59
0.83
1.00
Reference
85.88–98.00
3.70
0.41
1.70
1.25–2.32
37.77
0.98
1.97
1.74–2.22
98.01–125.34
8.71
0.51
4.23
3.31–5.41
51.63
0.84
3.46
3.09–3.87
125.35–232.27
41.15
1.60
30.99
24.19–39.69
69.01
1.56
7.21
6.09–8.55
Higher scores on the index indicate higher levels of behavioral problems. The first BPI category is the first quartile with fewest behavioral problems, the second represents the second quartile, the third catergory is median to <90 percentile, and the fourth category is ≥90th percentile reflecting serious behavioral problems.
2Differences in the prevalence of each health outcome across the BPI categories were statistically significant at P < 0.05. 3A composite variable denoting parenting aggravation if parents reported in the past month that child was much harder to care for, or were bothered by child's behavior, or felt angry with their child.
