Early Erin, Miller Sarah, Dunne Laura, O'Reilly Dermot
School of Applied Social and Policy Sciences, Ulster University, 2-24 York Street, Belfast, BT15 1ED, UK.
School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen's University Belfast, 69-71 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HL, UK.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Aug 22;25(1):2886. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23780-3.
Health is a multifaceted concept with existing evidence in the UK indicating a negative association between educational outcomes and markers of ill-health. Evidence that disaggregates the influence of physical and mental health conditions on educational attainment, using population wide linked administrative data, varies between UK jurisdictions, with a lack of such research evident in Northern Ireland (NI). This study aims to address this gap by investigating the impact of students' physical and mental health on post-primary attainment in NI. This is a pertinent area as the recent Children and Young People's Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework outlined the need for cross-departmental collaboration between education and health.
Using administrative data that linked the household Census (2011), School Leavers Survey (2010-2014) and School Census (2010-2014), this study examines the associations between young people's GCSE attainment, physical health and mental health (n = 61,373). Multilevel models were executed to account for the nested data structure and wider demographic profile of young people. Interaction terms were also tested between factors such as sex, socio-economic background, and physical and mental ill-health markers to determine their effects on attainment.
The study confirmed the negative associations between lower post-primary attainment and 'very bad' self-reported health status (d = -1.01, 95% CI: -1.26, -0.75), the presence of a physical health condition (d = -0.39, 95% CI: -0.41, -0.36), mental health condition (d = -0.91, 95% CI: -1.00, -0.82) and an illness/disability that limited daily activity a little (d = -0.48, 95% CI: -0.53, -0.44) or a lot (d = -0.98, 95% CI: -1.04, -0.92). Interaction terms were tested, and significant associations were evident between sex and physical health condition, sex and mental health condition, free school meal eligibility and physical health condition, and the presence of both a physical health condition and mental health condition.
This study is the first instance where population wide, linked administrative data is used to examine the associations between educational attainment and students' physical and mental health in NI. The importance of mental health and the greater educational disadvantage some social groups may experience are key implications for policy.
健康是一个多方面的概念，英国现有证据表明教育成果与健康不佳指标之间存在负相关。利用全人口范围的关联行政数据来剖析身心健康状况对教育成就影响的证据，在英国不同司法管辖区有所不同，北爱尔兰（NI）明显缺乏此类研究。本研究旨在通过调查北爱尔兰学生的身心健康对小学后教育成就的影响来填补这一空白。这是一个相关领域，因为最近的《儿童和青少年教育中的情绪健康与幸福框架》概述了教育与健康部门之间跨部门合作的必要性。
本研究使用将家庭人口普查（2011年）、离校生调查（2010 - 2014年）和学校普查（2010 - 2014年）相链接的行政数据，考察了年轻人的普通中等教育证书（GCSE）成绩、身体健康和心理健康之间的关联（n = 61,373）。执行多层模型以考虑数据的嵌套结构和年轻人更广泛的人口统计学特征。还测试了性别、社会经济背景以及身心健康不佳指标等因素之间的交互项，以确定它们对成绩的影响。
该研究证实了小学后较低的教育成就与自我报告的“非常差”健康状况（d = -1.01，95%置信区间：-1.26，-0.75）、存在身体健康状况（d = -0.39，95%置信区间：-0.41，-0.36）、心理健康状况（d = -0.91，95%置信区间：-1.00，-0.82）以及对日常活动有一点（d = -0.48，95%置信区间：-0.53，-0.44）或很大程度（d = -0.98，95%置信区间：-1.04，-0.92）限制的疾病/残疾之间存在负相关。测试了交互项，性别与身体健康状况、性别与心理健康状况、免费学校餐资格与身体健康状况以及同时存在身体健康状况和心理健康状况之间存在显著关联。
本研究首次使用全人口范围的关联行政数据来考察北爱尔兰教育成就与学生身心健康之间的关联。心理健康的重要性以及一些社会群体可能经历的更大教育劣势是对政策的关键启示。
