Parent perceptions of child safety and physical and mental health

BACKGROUND: Violence in our nation’s schools and neighborhoods is a public health problem. Safety concerns may cause stress for children, which has been linked to negative health outcomes.

METHODS: Data on school-aged children from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) were analyzed for the relationship between parent-perceived safety and children’s health. Conducted through the SLAITS mechanism of the National Center for Health Statistics on behalf of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, NSCH is a population-based survey of children gathering data from parents about health and well-being of children.  We analyzed the association between parent-perceived children’s safety at school and in their neighborhood, and parents’ reports of their children’s physical and mental health.  Weighted logistic regression models accounted for complex survey design, and adjusted for household income, child’s race, gender, and age.

RESULTS: In 2011-2012, 13.1%of school-aged children nationwide had parents who perceived their children were never or sometimes safe in their neighborhood, and 7.4%of school-aged children had parents who perceived their children were never or sometimes safe at school.  Children said to be never or sometimes safe in school were more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety problems (OR=1.80, p<.05) and were more likely to have poor or fair health (OR=2.11, p<.05).

DISCUSSION: Results from a cross-sectional survey support the relationship previously found between safety and presence of anxiety problems, and highlight the barrier stress may play on an individual’s physical and mental health.  A child’s risk for anxiety problems may relate to school and neighborhood safety.