Factors Affecting Children’s Health in the United States: Children’s Engagement in Social Activities, Their Households and Neighborhood Characteristics

Yuying Shen, University of North Texas
Ami R. Moore, University of North Texas

Using the dataset from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), this paper examined the independent and joint effects of household, neighborhood characteristics, and children's engagement in social activities on their health. It also compared the health of chidlren from different ethnic groups relative to their engagement in social activites, their household and neighborhood characteristics. Findings indicated that marked disparities existed in children’s health status across different racial groups. Bivariate analyses indicated that family background such as income, parental education, family structure, maternal health were all significant for children in the five racial groups of White, Hispanic, Black, Multiracial,, and Others. In addition, neighborhood characteristics and outside activities participation were also significant predictors of children’s health in bivariate models. Yet the significant relationships in bivariate model varied greatly in multivariate models across different racial groups.