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Single-parent family background and physical illness in adulthood: a follow-up study of the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu

Taru Mäkikyrö

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu

Jari Jokelainen

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu

Matti Joukamaa

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu

Marjo-Riitta Järvelin

Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Finland, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College, School of Medicine, London, UK

Matti Isohanni

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu

The association between single-parent family background and physical illness in early adulthood was studied in a sample of an unselected, general population: the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort. Between the ages of 16 and 28 years, women of single-parent family background were more commonly treated (61% versus 57%) for any physical condition in hospital wards compared with women of two-parent family background. Spontaneous abortions (odds ratio; OR=1.4, 95% CI 1.0-2.0), complications of pregnancy (OR=1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.3), and intracranial injuries (OR=2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.8) were more common among women with single-parent family background. They also had a clearly higher risk for induced abortions (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.4-1.9), and a higher incidence of deliveries than did other women. The risk of hospital-treated physical illness did not differ between men of single-parent and two-parent family background. Poisonings and injuries were, however, more common reasons for hospital admission among men with single-parent family background than among other men. In conclusion, our main finding was that, among women, an association between overall hospital-treated physical illness and single-parent family background does exist. However, offspring of single-parent families are mostly in as good physical health as others.

Key Words: family background • physical illness • early adulthood • cohort study • follow-up study.

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 28, No. 2, 95-101 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/140349480002800204


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