Table 4

Unadjusted and fully adjusted* odds of children being classified as developmentally vulnerable/at risk on the Australian Early Development Census as an outcome of parental chronic Illness diagnosis

AEDC domainMaternal chronic illnessPaternal chronic illness
UnadjustedFully adjusted*UnadjustedFully adjusted*
OR (95% CI)P value†OR (95% CI)P value†OR (95% CI)P value†OR (95% CI)P value†
Physical health and well-being
 Girls1.43 (1.19 to 1.71)0.0011.29 (1.07 to 1.56)0.0231.10 (0.90 to 1.34)0.991.19 (0.96 to 1.47)0.54
 Boys1.17 (0.99 to 1.39)0.201.07 (0.90 to 1.28)0.991.00 (0.83 to 1.19)0.991.06 (0.88 to 1.27)0.99
Social competence
 Girls1.57 (1.30 to 1.89)0.0011.40 (1.15 to 1.70)0.0040.97 (0.78 to 1.22)0.991.10 (0.87 to 1.38)0.99
 Boys1.13 (0.96 to 1.34)0.281.04 (0.88 to 1.24)0.990.93 (0.78 to 1.11)0.990.99 (0.83 to 1.18)0.99
Emotional maturity
 Girls1.41 (1.17 to 1.71)0.0011.25 (1.03 to 1.53)0.050.91 (0.73 to 1.14)0.990.96 (0.76 to 1.22)0.99
 Boys1.23 (1.05 to 1.44)0.051.11 (0.94 to 1.31)0.830.87 (0.73 to 1.03)0.520.90 (0.75 to 1.07)0.99
Communication skills and general knowledge
 Girls1.56 (1.30 to 1.88)0.0011.47 (1.21 to 1.78)0.0010.98 (0.79 to 1.22)0.991.07 (0.86 to 1.35)0.99
 Boys1.10 (0.93 to 1.31)0.281.03 (0.86 to 1.23)0.890.95 (0.79 to 1.14)0.991.01 (0.84 to 1.22)0.99
Language and cognitive skills
 Girls1.32 (1.12 to 1.56)0.0011.22 (1.02 to 1.45)0.050.95 (0.79 to 1.15)0.991.02 (0.84 to 1.24)0.99
 Boys1.47 (1.26 to 1.72)0.0011.37 (1.17 to 1.62)0.0010.96 (0.81 to 1.13)0.991.03 (0.87 to 1.21)0.99

  • *Adjusted for chronic illness in the other parent; child age; parent mental illness; child chronic illness; child Aboriginality; parent age; mother’s marital status; child’s ESL status; and local community socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness indices.

  • †Adjusted p values after Holm’s correction applied.

  • AEDC, Australian Early Development Census.