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Karen A. Kuhlthau, PhD; James M. Perrin, MD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155:1346-1350.

Objective  To understand the relationship between several measures of child health status and the employment of parents.

Design  A cross-sectional study using 1994 National Health Interview Survey on Disability data.

Participants  A nationally representative sample of children and their parents.

Outcome Measures  Maternal and paternal employment (measured separately).

Intervention  We use a series of logistic regression models with maternal and paternal employment as the dependent variables and the health status of the child with the poorest health status in the family as the primary independent variable. Models additionally include sociodemographic correlates of employment.

Results  Having a child with poor health status, as measured by general reported health, hospitalizations, activity limitations, and chronic condition or disability status, is associated with reduced employment of mothers and fathers. For example, the odds ratios of being employed for having a child with an activity limitation are 0.75 for mothers (95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.85) and 0.66 for fathers (95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.82).

Conclusions  Having a child with poor health status is associated with reduced maternal and paternal employment. Further studies are needed to determine whether poor child health status causes reductions in parental labor force participation. If such a causal relationship exists, it has important implications for social policy, employment policy, and clinical anticipatory guidance.

From the Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, and the Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

Corresponding author and reprints: Karen A. Kuhlthau, PhD, Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, 50 Staniford St, Suite 901, Boston, MA 02114 (e-mail: kkuhlthau{at}partners.org).

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