Growing up in Uppsala. The role of public services in identification and treatment of health and adjustment problems. Part I. Definition and classification of dependent variables

Abstract

A comprehensive prospective longitudinal study of health, development and social adjustment from the age of four to 18 years has been carried out in Uppsala, Sweden. This report presents the accumulated psychosocial burden up to 18 years of age for all 1715 children born in 1965 and resident in Uppsala from age 10 to 18 years. The psychosocial burden up to 18 years of age was assessed through analysis of records and register information from school health services, authorities for care of the handicapped, the Department of Child Psychiatry, social agencies and legal authorities. The analysis showed that 11.8% of the adolescents had a severe psychosocial burden up to the age of 18 years which could hamper their future life as adults. It was possible to categorize the whole birth cohort into one subgroup without manifest psychosocial problems and five different subgroups with serious problems: the six groups (severe mental or physical handicap, antisocial behaviour, psychiatric problems, social support, multiple problems, "normal") had specific profiles concerning sex distribution, symptoms, social background, utilization of care services and delinquency.

Growing up in Uppsala: The “New Morbidity” in the Adolescent Period A Longitudinal Epidemiological Study Based on School Data and Some External Sources

“…One particular aspect, the association between psychosocial factors and weight increase during school years, was analysed by Mellbin & Vuille (1989a, 1989b. Finally, Mellbin, Sundelin & Vuille (1992a, 1992b investigated the health, development and social adjustment of the cohort born in 1965 and resident in Uppsala from 10 up to 18 years.…”

“…In their study of the long-term fates of the 1965 cohort (Mellbin, Sundelin & Vuille 1992a), the authors defined and described the accumulated "psychosocial burden" up to 18 years of age for all 171 5 children born in 1965 and resident in Uppsala from age 10 to 18 years. The psychosocial burden up to 18 years of age was assessed through analysis of records and register information from school health services, authorities for care of the handicapped, the Department of Child Psychiatry, social agencies and legal authorities.…”

“…The psychosocial burden up to 18 years of age was assessed through analysis of records and register information from school health services, authorities for care of the handicapped, the Department of Child Psychiatry, social agencies and legal authorities. (For details concerning definitions, data sources and age periods covered by different sources, see Mellbin, Sundelin & Vuille 1992a. ) It was possible to categorize the whole birth cohort into one "normal" subgroup without manifest psychosocial problems, and five different subgroups with moderate or severe problems: severe mental or physical handicap, antisocial behaviour, psychiatric problems, social support, multiple problems.…”

“…To what degree do stability and continuity in behaviour exist over time? (Mellbin, Sundelin & Vuille 1992a. ) In a second study (Mellbin, Sundelin & Vuille 1992b), the authors presented an analysis of the relationships between the six subgroups relating to psychosocial problems up to 18 years and observations in school at 10 years.…”

“…The analysis showed that 11.8% of the adolescents born in 1965 had a severe psychosocial burden up to the age of 18 years that could hamper their future life as adults (Mellbin, Sundelin & Vuille 1992a). There was a strong male preponderance among those who appeared to be the most vulnerable with respect to antisocial behaviour.…”