Is Maternal Income in Childhood Associated With Adolescent Health and Behavioral Outcomes?

Abstract

Maternal income increases immediate investment in children for food, child care, and health care, but whether maternal income influences longer term health and behavioral outcomes is unknown. Using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examine the association between maternal income in early and later childhood on body mass index percentile, problem behaviors, and self-reported health status at age 15 among a sample of children ( N = 1,283) whose mothers were employed at at least one observation time point between birth and age 15 (1991-2005). When controlling for family income (minus maternal income) and maternal employment characteristics, higher maternal income during early childhood was significantly associated with fewer adolescent problem behaviors. Maternal income during early childhood may influence adolescent behavioral outcomes. These findings suggest that increased maternal income, a positive externality of maternal employment, may increase the net benefit of maternal employment for child behavior.

Prevalence and correlates of modifiable risk factors for cervical cancer and HPV infection among senior high school students in Ghana: A latent class analysis

“…Previous research has not found maternal employment to be associated with involvement in risk behaviours such as sexual intercourse [42]; however, other risk factors in the high HPV infection risk class (multiple sexual partners and unprotected sexual intercourse) were not explored in this earlier research by A Aughinbaugh and M Gittleman [42], likely accounting for some of the differences in ndings. Maternal income, a positive externality of maternal employment, may reduce adolescent risk behaviours [43]. This nding is consistent with past research linking poverty and risky sexual behaviour in Ghana [44], and suggests that while providing employment opportunities for mothers/female guardians can improve their standard of living, it is likely to reduce the risk HPV infection for their daughters.…”