Poster #37 - Residential Mobility and Child and Maternal Health: Parallel or Divergent Associations?

• In Event: Poster Session 15

Abstract

With a rich history of immigration, the United States remains a nation with high rates of residential mobility (e.g., Long, 1992). According to recent figures from U.S. Census Bureau geographic mobility data, almost one in five of all children ages 1 to 4 moved in 2013; however, other estimates suggest one in three elementary aged children moving in urban areas within a two year time period (Green, 2019). Residential mobility can serve as a barrier to accessing health care services and otherwise achieving a healthy lifestyle, causing those who are highly mobile to lag similar peers in health access and living a healthy lifestyle (Jelleyman & Spencer, 2008). Indeed, residential mobility can serve as a social determinant of health (SDOH), on top of cooccurring challenges such as economic instability and living in an unsafe neighborhood.
Importantly, a move co-occurs with family structures and processes (Anderson, Leventhal, & Dupéré, 2014). In addition, mothers are critical across the lifespan, and can serve as SDOH for their own children (Bornstein, 2015). How children and mothers jointly cope with residential mobility and the health consequences for both is unknown. Understanding how residential mobility serves as a SDOH for children and their mothers can illuminate pathways of intervention. This study asks:
(1) Did children and mothers who moved have worse health outcomes (health access and physical health) than children and mothers who did not?
(2) Do associations vary by developmental period when child moved (early childhood, middle childhood, or adolescence)?
To address our research questions, we use the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). FFCWS followed a cohort of nearly 5,000 children born in 20 large U.S. cities between 1998 and 2000 (Reichman, Teitler, Garfinkel, & McLanahan, 2001). We focus on three developmental periods of the child; when they are in early childhood (0-5 years old); middle childhood (5-9 years old), and adolescence (9-15 years old). Table 1 includes all study variables. We examine residential mobility by extent of mobility, or whether there was no mobility, limited mobility (1-2 moves), or high mobility (>2 moves), and within developmental period. We focus on health outcomes as were reported by the mother, as indicated in Table 1. We use multiple regression with covariates (in Table 1) to predict the maternal and child health outcomes from residential mobility, net covariates, and across developmental periods.
As seen in Table 2, there were no significant associations between residential mobility and child health outcomes. However, mothers were significantly more likely to have poorer perceived health (higher numbers indicate lower rated health) if they moved when their child was in middle childhood or adolescence; mothers also were significantly more likely to visit an emergency room (ER) if their child moved, especially moved three or more times during early or middle childhood (outcome was not assessed in adolescence). Even net covariates, including baseline health, residential mobility and especially high mobility was associated with adverse health outcomes. Results have implications for a family systems approach to housing research.

Authors

• Sara Amadon, Child Trends -Maryland
  Presenting Author

• Sydney Briggs, Child Trends