Table 1 Child health indicators and time-varying covariates in the initial four rounds of the QLSCD (1998–2001)

Age of child

5 months^†

17 months^†

29 months^†

41 months^†

Total sample size

2 120

2 045

1 997

1 950

Health indicators

Number of mother-reported asthma-like attacks* - past 12 months: M (SD)

-

0.27 (1.66)

0.23 (1.42)

0.17 (1.11)

Maternal perception of child’s health as being less than very good - past 12 months : %

7.9

11.2

9.7

11.0

Time-varying covariates

Household income sufficiency - past 12 months

N=2 078

N=2 007

N=1 968

N=1 893

 Sufficient : %

72.4

76.0

78.0

79.9

 Insufficient : %

27.6

24.0

22.0

20.1

Predicted household income sufficiency††

N=1 886

N=1 884

N=1 886

N=1 894

 Sufficient : %

72.3

74.4

76.7

77.6

 Insufficient : %

27.7

25.6

23.3

22.4

Type of family - past 12 months

N=2 112

N=2 041

N=1 993

N=1 945

 Two biological parents : %

80.0

78.0

76.1

75.0

 Two parents, one biological : %

10.8

11.2

11.2

11.6

 Single parent : %

9.2

10.8

12.7

13.4

Parents smoke at home - past 12 months

N=2 119

N=2 038

N=1 989

N=1 936

 No / occasionally : %

75.5

69.9

72.9

74.6

Daily : %

24.5

30.1

27.1

25.4

Type of child care - past 12 months

N=2 120

N=2 045

N=1 997

N=1 950

 In child’s home : %

90.0

53.6

49.6

36.4

 External home-based daycare : %

8.3

36.6

33.6

32.7

 Daycare centre : %

1.7

9.8

16.8

30.9