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Using Latent Class Analyses to Examine Health Disparities among Young Children in Socially Disadvantaged Families during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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  • Rosa S. Wong

    (Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
    Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
    Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Keith T. S. Tung

    (Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Nirmala Rao

    (Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Ko Ling Chan

    (Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • King-Wa Fu

    (Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Jason C. Yam

    (Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Winnie W. Y. Tso

    (Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
    State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Wilfred H. S. Wong

    (Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Terry Y. S. Lum

    (Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Ian C. K. Wong

    (Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
    Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy, London WC1N 1AX, UK)

  • Patrick Ip

    (Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

Abstract

Rising income inequality is strongly linked to health disparities, particularly in regions where uneven distribution of wealth and income has long been a concern. Despite emerging evidence of COVID-19-related health inequalities for adults, limited evidence is available for children and their parents. This study aimed to explore subtypes of families of preschoolers living in the disadvantaged neighborhoods of Hong Kong based on patterns of family hardship and to compare their patterns of parenting behavior, lifestyle practices, and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 1338 preschoolers and their parents during March to June 2020. Latent class analysis was performed based on 11 socioeconomic and disease indicators. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine associations between identified classes and variables of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four classes of family hardship were identified. Class 1 (45.7%) had the lowest disease and financial burden. Class 2 (14.0%) had the highest financial burden. Class 3 (5.9%) had the highest disease burden. Class 4 (34.5%) had low family income but did not receive government welfare assistance. Class 1 (low hardship) had lower risks of child maltreatment and adjustment problems than Class 2 (poverty) and Class 3 (poor health). However, children in Class 1 (low hardship) had higher odds of suffering psychological aggression and poorer physical wellbeing than those in Class 4 (low income), even after adjusting for child age and gender. The findings emphasize the need to adopt flexible intervention strategies in the time of large disease outbreak to address diverse problems and concerns among socially disadvantaged families.

Suggested Citation

  • Rosa S. Wong & Keith T. S. Tung & Nirmala Rao & Ko Ling Chan & King-Wa Fu & Jason C. Yam & Winnie W. Y. Tso & Wilfred H. S. Wong & Terry Y. S. Lum & Ian C. K. Wong & Patrick Ip, 2022. "Using Latent Class Analyses to Examine Health Disparities among Young Children in Socially Disadvantaged Families during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:13:p:7893-:d:849150
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ke-Mei Chen & Chao-Hsien Leu & Te-Mu Wang, 2019. "Measurement and Determinants of Multidimensional Poverty: Evidence from Taiwan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 145(2), pages 459-478, September.
    2. Vivian Y. W. Guo & Carlos K. H. Wong & Rosa S. M. Wong & Esther Y. T. Yu & Patrick Ip & Cindy L. K. Lam, 2018. "Spillover Effects of Maternal Chronic Disease on Children’s Quality of Life and Behaviors Among Low-Income Families," The Patient: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Springer;International Academy of Health Preference Research, vol. 11(6), pages 625-635, December.
    3. Linzer, Drew A. & Lewis, Jeffrey B., 2011. "poLCA: An R Package for Polytomous Variable Latent Class Analysis," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 42(i10).
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