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Aboriginal Status and Neighborhood Income Inequality Moderate the Relationship between School Absenteeism and Early Childhood Development

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  • Nazeem Muhajarine

    (Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4, Canada
    Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Rd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada)

  • Daphne McRae

    (Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4, Canada)

  • Mohsen Soltanifar

    (Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4, Canada
    Biostatistics Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St Room 620, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada)

Abstract

The negative impact of school absenteeism on children’s academic performance has been documented in the educational literature, yet few studies have used validated development indicators, or investigated individual and neighborhood characteristics to illuminate potential moderating factors. Using cross-sectional Early Development Instrument (EDI) panel data (2001–2005) we constructed multilevel linear and logistic regression models to examine the association between school absenteeism and early childhood development, moderated by Aboriginal status, length of school absence, neighborhood-level income inequality, and children’s sex assigned at birth. Our study included 3572 children aged four to eight in 56 residential neighborhoods in Saskatoon, Canada. Results indicated that Aboriginal children missing an average number of school days (3.63 days) had significantly lower EDI scores compared to non-Aboriginal children, controlling for individual and neighborhood factors. As school absenteeism lengthened, the gap in EDI scores between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children narrowed, becoming non-significant for absences greater than two weeks. Children with long-term school absence (>4 weeks of school), living in neighborhoods of low income inequality, had significantly better physical and social development scores compared to children from medium or high income inequality neighborhoods. Across all EDI domains, girls living in neighborhoods with low income inequality had significantly better EDI scores than boys in similar neighborhoods; however, sex-differences in EDI scores were not apparent for children residing in high income inequality neighborhoods. Results add to the literature by demonstrating differences in the relationship between school absenteeism and early developmental outcomes moderated by Aboriginal status, length of school absence, neighborhood income inequality, and sex assigned at birth. These moderating factors show that differential approaches are necessary when implementing policies and programs aimed at improving school attendance.

Suggested Citation

  • Nazeem Muhajarine & Daphne McRae & Mohsen Soltanifar, 2019. "Aboriginal Status and Neighborhood Income Inequality Moderate the Relationship between School Absenteeism and Early Childhood Development," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-15, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:8:p:1347-:d:222805
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Richards & Jennifer Hove & Kemi Afolabi, 2008. "Understanding the Aboriginal/Non-Aboriginal Gap in Student Performance: Lessons From British Columbia," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 276, December.
    2. Nazeem Muhajarine & Chassidy Puchala & Magdalena Janus, 2011. "Does the EDI Equivalently Measure Facets of School Readiness for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal children?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 103(2), pages 299-314, September.
    3. Kawachi, Ichiro & Kennedy, Bruce P., 1997. "The relationship of income inequality to mortality: Does the choice of indicator matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 45(7), pages 1121-1127, October.
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