Preschool- and individual-level socioeconomic deprivation in relation to mental disorders among children in Sweden.

AIMS: This study aimed to estimate the associations between preschool-level and individual- level socioeconomic deprivation and later mental disorders among children in a Swedish setting.

METHODS

The study used a longitudinal cohort study design including 2678 children, aged 3-5 years in Uppsala Municipality during 2017, with data on individual-level socioeconomic deprivation, and preschool-level socioeconomic deprivation. We followed the children for approximately five and a half years to assess later mental disorders, based on data from the Swedish National Patient Register. Frailty Cox regression models were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

No associations were observed between preschool-level socioeconomic deprivation and subsequent mental disorders. In terms of individual-level deprivation, children whose parents had lower educational levels had a higher risk of receiving a diagnosis of any mental disorder (hazard ratio (HR: 1.40; 1.04-1.90)) and any attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or conduct disorder (HR: 1.87; 1.24-2.80) during follow-up than children whose parents had higher education levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Single individual-level socioeconomic deprivation factors appear to be more important predictors of mental health outcomes in children than preschool-level socioeconomic deprivation. Children growing up in socioeconomically disadvantaged families may constitute a particular risk-group for developing mental disorders. Swedish preschools and child health services could implement appropriate interventions targeting healthy development for these children.