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Most people agree that fundamental benefits such as healthy children should not be affected by a family's socio-economic situation. Studies now show, however, that the extent of both long-term illnesses and hospital stays already varies systematically between different social groups in the first year of life.
Children of parents with little education suffer from respiratory illnesses more often than other children. Social problems, the family situation and ethnic background also have an effect on children's sickliness and frequency of hospital stays. Social differences in sickliness have not previously been reported among Norwegian children.
Chronic illness
Our data applies to a sample group of women who had children in 1993. The sample group was asked whether the child had been diagnosed as having a chronic illness. Less than 14 per cent answered yes to the question, while nearly three per cent had not received confirmation that the child had a chronic illness. In other words, nearly 16 per cent of childen had chronic health problems, or were suspected of having such problems.
A more systematic survey of the various groups of illnesses shows marked differences in the occurrence of respiratory problems among children. On average 3.5 per cent of children are afflicted, but the share rose to 9.1 per cent if the child's mother was a recipient of social assistance, and 7.2 percent if the father received social assistance.
Weekly Bulletin is.20-21, 1996