The physical and mental health of off-reser ve first nations children of teen mothers

Abstract

The teen birth rate for First Nations women is higher than the teen birth rate for non-Aboriginal women. While associations between physical and behavioural outcomes have been examined in non-Aboriginal children with teen mothers, fewer studies have focused on First Nations children of teen mothers. This study uses data from the 2006 Aboriginal Children ' s Survey to compare physical and mental health outcomes of 2-to 5-year-old off-reser ve First Nations children of teenage and older mothers. There were few differences in physical health outcomes between off-reser ve First Nations children of teen mothers and older mothers with the exception of dental health. H owever, for all of the mental health outcomes examined, child prosocial behaviours, emotional symptoms, inattention-hyperactivity, and conduct problems, scores were poorer for off-reser ve First Nations children of teen mothers. Although the differences in prosocial and emotional problems were attributable to socio-economic factors, differences in child inattention-hyperactivity and conduct problems were not. Future research would help our understanding of the differences in outcomes between off-reser ve First Nations children of teen and older mothers.