Abstract
Objectives
Childhood experiences of public care may be associated with adult psychosocial outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the
associations of four public care exposures: type of placement, length of placement, age at admission to care and number of
placements, as well as the reasons for admission to public care with emotional and behavioural traits at age 30 years.
associations of four public care exposures: type of placement, length of placement, age at admission to care and number of
placements, as well as the reasons for admission to public care with emotional and behavioural traits at age 30 years.
Results
Cohort members with a public care experience presented lower childhood family socio-economic status compared with those in
the no public care group. After adjusting for confounding, exposure to both foster and residential care, longer placements
and multiple placements were associated with more extensive adult emotional and behavioural difficulties. Specifically, residential
care was associated with increased risk of adult criminal convictions (OR = 3.09, 95% CI: 2.10–4.55) and depression (1.81,
1.23–2.68). Multiple placements were associated with low self-efficacy in adulthood (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 2.29, 5.56). Admission
to care after the age of 10 was associated with increased adult criminal convictions (OR = 6.03, 95% CI: 3.34–10.90) and smoking
(OR = 3.32, 95% CI: 1.97–5.58).
the no public care group. After adjusting for confounding, exposure to both foster and residential care, longer placements
and multiple placements were associated with more extensive adult emotional and behavioural difficulties. Specifically, residential
care was associated with increased risk of adult criminal convictions (OR = 3.09, 95% CI: 2.10–4.55) and depression (1.81,
1.23–2.68). Multiple placements were associated with low self-efficacy in adulthood (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 2.29, 5.56). Admission
to care after the age of 10 was associated with increased adult criminal convictions (OR = 6.03, 95% CI: 3.34–10.90) and smoking
(OR = 3.32, 95% CI: 1.97–5.58).
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s00127-011-0458-5
- Authors
- A. Dregan, Division of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King’s College London, Capital House, 42 Weston St, London, SE1 3QD UK
- M. C. Gulliford, Division of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King’s College London, Capital House, 42 Weston St, London, SE1 3QD UK
- Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Online ISSN 1433-9285
- Print ISSN 0933-7954