Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
Ethn Health. 2011 Jun;16(3):185-200. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2011.559536.
Poverty and low social support are common among minority migrant families. Little is known about their impact on the health of children of minority migrants to Canada. This study examined the associations between maternal perception of child's health and migration status, and examined the specific role of poverty and low social support in these associations.
Data from the first two rounds of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD) were analysed. The sample included 1990 children at 17 months of age, classified according to their mother's migration status: children of minority migrant mothers (n=165) and Canadian-born mothers (n=1825). Maternal perception of child's health status and social support were measured at 17 months, household income was measured at 5 and 17 months. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed; interactions of migration status with poverty and social support were tested.
Poverty and low social support were more common among minority migrant mothers than among Canadian-born mothers. Children of minority migrant mothers who were 'never poor' and reported high levels of social support were perceived in better health (OR 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19-0.91) than children of Canadian-born mothers (reference group). In contrast, children of minority migrant mothers who were 'always poor' and reported low social support were perceived in worse health (OR 6.32; 95% CI: 1.69-23.71) compared to the reference group.
In Quebec, economic hardship and lack of social support are common realities among minority migrants with young children. Combined exposure to poverty and low social support is most detrimental to the perceived health of children of minority migrants.
贫困和社会支持不足在少数族裔移民家庭中较为常见。对于这些因素对加拿大少数族裔移民儿童健康的影响，人们知之甚少。本研究考察了母亲对孩子健康状况的感知与移民身份之间的关系，并研究了贫困和社会支持不足在这些关系中的具体作用。
对魁北克儿童发展纵向研究（QLSCD）的前两轮数据进行了分析。该样本包括 1990 名 17 个月大的儿童，根据其母亲的移民身份进行分类：少数族裔移民母亲的孩子（n=165）和加拿大出生母亲的孩子（n=1825）。17 个月时测量母亲对孩子健康状况和社会支持的感知，5 个月和 17 个月时测量家庭收入。进行多变量逻辑回归；检验了移民身份与贫困和社会支持之间的相互作用。
贫困和社会支持不足在少数族裔移民母亲中比在加拿大出生母亲中更为常见。“从未贫困”且社会支持程度较高的少数族裔移民母亲的孩子被认为更健康（OR 0.42；95%置信区间（CI）：0.19-0.91），而加拿大出生母亲（参照组）的孩子则认为更健康。相比之下，“一直贫困”且社会支持程度较低的少数族裔移民母亲的孩子被认为健康状况更差（OR 6.32；95% CI：1.69-23.71），与参照组相比。
在魁北克，经济困难和缺乏社会支持是有年幼子女的少数族裔移民的普遍现实。贫困和社会支持不足的综合暴露对少数族裔移民儿童的健康感知最不利。
