Children’s neighbourhood physical environment and early development: an individual child level linked data study

• Published in: Journal of epidemiology and community health (1979) Vol. 74; no. 4; pp. 321 - 329
• Main Authors: Bell, Megan F, Turrell, Gavin, Beesley, Bridget, Boruff, Bryan, Trapp, Gina, Zubrick, Stephen R, Christian, Hayley E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.04.2020
• Subjects: Australia - epidemiology; Child; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Cognition & reasoning; Cross-Sectional Studies; Early childhood education; Education; Emotions; Environment Design - statistics & numerical data; Families & family life; Female; Geographic information systems; Green infrastructure; Humans; Male; Neighborhoods; Population Density; Population studies; Public health; Public transportation; Quality; Remote sensing; Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data; Schools; Social Class; Social Determinants of Health - statistics & numerical data; Sociodemographics; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomics; Variables; Australia; GIS; neighborhood/place; record linkage; lifecourse/childhood circumstances; public health
• ISSN: 0143-005X; 1470-2738; 1470-2738
• DOI: 10.1136/jech-2019-212686

BackgroundIdentification of features of the neighbourhood physical environment that have a causal association with positive child development is important for promoting long-term developmental health. Previous research on these associations have been conducted at the neighbourhood level, and do not account for individual variation in exposure to these features.MethodsThis cross-sectional study utilised de-identified linked administrative data. Neighbourhood features were measured with Geographic Information Systems and identified within a 1600 m service area around the child’s home address. The study population included a random selection of 5024 Western Australian children who participated in the 2012 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC; median age 5 years, 5 months). Multi-level logistic regressions modelled the odds of children scoring in the bottom 10% on the physical, social or emotional AEDC domains as an outcome of neighbourhood features.ResultsAfter adjustment for individual and neighbourhood sociodemographic factors, lower odds of physical vulnerability were associated with increased neighbourhood residential density, presence of railway station, and higher counts of playgroups and kindergartens. Larger areas of neighbourhood home-yard space were associated with increased odds of physical and social vulnerability. Presence of high-quality green spaces was associated with lower odds of social vulnerability. Increased road traffic exposure was associated with higher odds of social and emotional vulnerability.ConclusionsThe neighbourhood physical environment has a weak but significant association with early childhood development. Future research should consider the interplay between the neighbourhood environment and proximal influences, including parenting attributes and socioeconomic status, and how they influence early child development.