Distribution of 2.5 year old children in Quebec longitudinal study of child development (QLSCD 1998–2002) according to the mother’s characteristics (n = 1946)
| Mother’s characteristics | % | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| *Coefficient of variation between 15% and 25%; data should be interpreted with caution. The coefficient of variation is a measure of dispersion of the data around the mean. It is the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean of a distribution. It does not have any metric and is usually expressed in percentage. Large coefficients of variation indicate a large dispersion of data around the mean and a loss of accuracy of the mean estimate (BMDP Statistical Software, Los Angeles, 1990). | ||
| Mother’s age when the child was 5 months old | ||
| under 20 | 3.3 | 2.4 to 4.3 |
| 20 to 34 | 82.4 | 80.6 to 84.2 |
| 35 or more | 14.3 | 12.6 to 16.1 |
| Mother’s education when the child was 5 months old | ||
| Partial or completed college or university studies | 60.5 | 58.1 to 62.9 |
| High school or vocational or trade school diploma | 22.0 | 20.0 to 24.0 |
| No high school diploma | 17.5 | 15.6 to 19.4 |
| Presence of a partner when the child is 2.5 years | ||
| Lives with a partner | 87.3 | 85.5 to 89.0 |
| Lives without a partner | 12.7 | 11.0 to 14.5 |
| Mother’s immigration status when the child was 5 months old | ||
| Non-immigrant or European immigrant | 88.3 | 86.6 to 90.0 |
| Non-European immigrant | 11.7 | 10.0 to 13.4 |
| Mother’s employment status when the child is 2.5 years | ||
| Homemaker | 44.0 | 41.7 to 46.3 |
| Worker | 52.8 | 50.4 to 55.1 |
| Student | 2.0* | 1.4 to 2.8 |
| Other | 1.2* | 0.8 to 1.8 |
| Mother’s height | ||
| <33rd centile | 25.9 | 23.8 to 28.0 |
| 33–66th centile | 40.2 | 37.9 to 42.5 |
| >66th centile | 33.9 | 31.7 to 36.1 |