Good Parenting Protects Against Chronic Illness says Professor of Public Health
10.30am - 12 noon, 10th November, The University of Warwick in
London, The Work Foundation, 3 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y
5DG
Research reveals that good parenting not only helps to reduce
criminality, conduct disorder and delinquency in children but could
promote good health and prevent chronic disease in adulthood, says
University of Warwick Professor of Public Health Sarah
Stewart-Brown.
On 10th November 2004 at a Policy Briefing in London Professor
Stewart-Brown will present findings from research on the impact of
parenting on health. She is set to suggest that parenting is a key
area for public health improvement and that it has a crucial role
to play in the prevention of health inequalities.
Research indicates that widespread provision of help and support
for parents could have an important beneficial impact on future
mental and physical health. The impact of unsatisfactory
relationships in childhood is revealed in a wide range of common
health problems including, in some studies, cardiovascular disease,
cancer, musculoskeletal problems, depression and attempted suicide.
Poor quality relationships predict poor health independently of
socio-economic circumstances.
Being a parent might seem the like the hardest job in the world,
but it's also one of the most important. "Almost all parents
aim to do the best for their children often in difficult
circumstances and problems that arise are usually to do with
approaches which have been passed down through the generations
without being questioned. It is not that society is full of bad
parents, it's just that many of us could do a better job if we were
better prepared", says Professor Stewart-Brown from the
University of Warwick.
The quality of relationships in the home in childhood effects both
mental and physical health in adulthood. The public health impact
of programmes to improve parent-child relationships is likely to be
significant. Although effective programmes have been developed in
the UK, there is a need for wider availability and more
opportunities for parents to attend.
Three national birth cohort studies of children all born in one
week, starting in 1946, 1958 and 1970 reveal that the more severe
problems are with parent-child relationships, the greater the
impact on health impact.
In the 1970 study between 1 in 5 and 1 in 10 young people reported
relationship problems and in the 1958 cohort, 5% reported poor
relationships with their mothers and 8% with fathers. Young people
reporting poor relationships had a 50-100% increase in risk of
multiple health problems in adulthood. In the 1946 cohort, the 2.6%
of subjects reporting abusive/ neglectful relationships had an
increased risk.of more than ten fold.
Professor Sarah Stewart-Brown added: "Parenting frequently
hits headlines because of its role in the development of antisocial
behaviour. However, parenting also has an important impact on
future health, both mental and physical. Parental relationships
impact on both health and behaviour by influencing emotional and
social development. So parenting also has a role to play in
preventing key health problems like prevention of teenage
pregnancy, drug and alcohol misuse and childhood
obesity."
"Fortunately it is possible to help parents develop their
parenting and the . potential health impact of programmes that
support parenting is yet to be widely appreciated"
To register to attend the Policy Briefing email p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk or
visit: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/go/policybriefing
For further information contact:
Professor Sarah Stewart-Brown, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Tel: 024 7657 4510
or
Peter Dunn, Communications Office, University of Warwick, Tel: 02476 523708, Mobile: 07767 655860
"The roots of social capital: relationships in the home during
childhood and health in later life", is published in
"Social Capital for Health", Health Development Agency,
London 2004
PR130 4th November 2004