Health, economy and social capital in Nordic children and their families: a comparison between 1984 and 1996

Abstract

The study provides strong support for the concept of social capital as an important determinant of children's health.

Health, economy and social capital in Nordic children aged 13-17 years and their families: changes between 1984, 1996 and 2011

“…The results from the NordChild study have been widely published in scientific journals, as summary reports and as doctoral theses. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The general results from these studies confirmed the good health, the high living standard and the excellent prerequisites for a proper quality of life among Nordic children. [3,5,10,11] However, the results also showed an increase of long term illness (LTI) in children aged 2-17 years from 7.9% in 1984 to 14.6% in 1996 [6] and to 17.8% in 2011.…”

“…Overall in the Nordic countries the Health Index decreased over both periods (1984)(1985)(1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011), while the Economic and Social Capital Indices increased during the first period but not during the second one, showing a significant increase for the two periods taken together, 1984-2011. In a previous study of Nordic children 2-17 years old Berntsson, [2006] showed that between 1984 and 1996, the indicator for Health deteriorated as did those for the Social Capital while those for the Economy improved. In the present study, we have combined the different outcome indicators to three composite indices and we have found that the changes mainly took place in the first period, 1984-1996.…”

“…[48] It is perhaps not expected that the increase happens in conjunction with improved family economy, but it is not a new phenomenon. [7] More surprising, however, is that neither the increasing indices of Social Capital and Economy seem to be able to protect against worsened health. Other studies, both from the Nordic countries and elsewhere, have shown that social capital in the family, at school and in the neighborhood has a positive influence on the children's health and wellbeing.…”

“…Between 1984 and 1996, there was also a statistically significant positive association between the health indicator and the social capital indicators but a negative association with two of the economic indicators. [7] As the PSC have increased consistently since 1984, still being quite high in 2011 in the oldest age-group, 13-17 years, [8] it seemed urgent to analyze the new data of particularly that age group, in order to see if the paradox observed above remained, and to relate it to the development of the social capital.…”

Beyond the specific child What is ‘a child's case’ in general practice?

“…Bearing in mind the existing knowledge about social capital as an important determinant of children's health, 27 this result could be due to the general condition that ethnic minority populations are marginalised compared to the rest of the population. 20 The GPs did not use the introduced theoretical framework.…”