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Abstract
The study's purpose was to determine the effect of non-intact families, poverty, and low parental education, as well as intervening mechanisms, on the health of preschool children while accounting for race/ethnic differences. National Health Interview Survey Data-Child Health Supplement 1988 analysis demonstrated that disadvantage had little effect on morbidity for children aged 0 to 5 (N = 4,912). Disadvantage measures did not affect reports of accidents, injuries, or poisonings (AIPs) or illness status except for a modest zero order effect of maternal education and AIPs. A relationship found for step-families and lower illness scores was unexpected. Disadvantage did not operate through health care access, family stress, or perinatal health. Hispanic had a small effect on BIPs, and Black had a strong effect on AIPs. The effect of Hispanic disappeared with controls, but the effect of Black for AIPS, once disadvantage was accounted for, remained. This direct effect was strong throughout the analysis. Black had a strong interactive effect with cohabiting parents for illness status. Income appeared to reduce the effect of Black on reported illness status and the effect of AIPs on Hispanic. Mother's education also seemed to reduce the effect of AIPs for Hispanics. These findings suggest income and education affects the health of Blacks and Hispanics more than the health of non-Hispanic Whites.
