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Table 1 Descriptive statistics of the sample

From: Conceptualizing childhood health problems using survey data: a comparison of key indicators

    

Health Problem vs. Healthy Comparison

 

Total Sample (n = 13,790)

Health Problem (n = 7196)

Healthy (n = 6594)

t or chi-square tests and p-values

SI

Child-specific measures

     

Age group

     

   4–6 years old, %

37.78

37.16

38.45

X2 2 = 1.01, ns

0.03

   7–9 years old, %

37.12

37.56

36.63

X2 2 = 0.57, ns

0.02

   10–11 years old, %

25.10

25.28

24.92

X2 2 = 0.10, ns

0.01

% male

51.15

54.90

47.06

X2 1 = 34.45, p < 0.0001

0.16

% born in Canada

94.65

95.99

93.19

X2 1 = 12.73, p = 0.0004

0.13

Family-specific measures

     

Income, mean (sd)

$52,501 ($91,376)

$52,544 ($85,800)

$52,454 ($75,658)

t = 0.08, ns

0.00

% PMKs with at least high school education

83.78

83.32

84.28

X2 1 = 0.80, ns

0.03

% Two-parent families

83.88

81.75

86.20

X2 1 = 16.96, p < 0.0001

0.12

Child health status measures

     

% Good/fair/poor health

12.40

19.01

5.19

X2 1 = 277.54, p < 0.0001

0.42

% Injured in past year

11.18

13.92

8.18

X2 1 = 54.68, p < 0.0001

0.18

% Hospitalized in past year

3.81

7.29

0.00

X2 1 = 260.60, p < 0.0001

0.38

% Behaviour problems

29.28

34.37

23.71

X2 1 = 72.79, p < 0.0001

0.23

% Taking medication regularly

10.85

20.79

0.00

X2 1 = 775.29, p < 0.0001

0.67

  1. Presence of a health problem is determined by meeting the criteria of at least one of the four indicators.