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The Kenneth Myer Lecture

The Kenneth Myer Lecture. Before the Bough Breaks. CHILDREN IN CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL LIBRARY, 2003. PROF. FIONA STANLEY AC TELETHON INSTITUTE FOR CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH. OUTLINE. Trends in child & youth outcomes. Possible explanations - impact of early child development.

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The Kenneth Myer Lecture

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  1. The Kenneth Myer Lecture Before the Bough Breaks CHILDREN IN CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIA NATIONAL LIBRARY, 2003 PROF. FIONA STANLEYAC TELETHON INSTITUTE FOR CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

  2. OUTLINE • Trends in child & youth outcomes. • Possible explanations - impact of early child development. • What does Australia need to do?

  3. Trends in child & youth outcomes.

  4. INDICATORS OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING Health Outcomes Death Low birth weight Complex diseases ( asthma, diabetes, obesity) Mental Health problems Lifestyle risk factors Child abuse/neglect/domestic violence Behavioural problems, substance abuse Others Juvenile crime Youth unemployment

  5. Infant Mortality Indigenous vs. All Australian infants Source: AIHW Australian Health Trends 2001

  6. Neonatal & postneonatal mortality by Indigenous status, WA 1980-1998. Source: WA MCHRDB : Jane Freemantle Unpublished data

  7. Infant Mortality RateComparison between USA, NZ & Australia Per 1000 lives births (1997) (1995-7) (1995) Sources: “Trends in Indian Health” 1998-99 Indian Health Services, New Zealand Now ; ‘Children’ 1998 Edition, AIHW 2002

  8. Infant Mortality Rate by Age Comparison between USA & Australia Per 1000 lives births Sources: “Trends in Indian Health” 1998-99 Indian Health Services, New Zealand Now ; ‘Children’ 1998 Edition, AIHW 2002

  9. Low Birth WeightAustralia 1991 - 1998 (% of all births < 2,500g) Source: AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit Database

  10. Trends in cumulative lifetime wheeze prevalence in primary school children Source: 2001 Year Book Australia. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS Catalogue No. 1301.0, pages 368-400.

  11. Number of Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Princess Margaret Hospital for Children 1990-1999

  12. Prevalence of overweight/obesity1985-1997 Booth et al. Change in prevalence of overweight and obesity among young Australians, 1969-1997. AmJ Clin Nutrition (In press)

  13. Intellectual disability by severityWestern Australia 1983-1992 ALL ID Mild/ Moderate Prevalence per 1000 Unspecified Severe/ Profound Year of birth Leonard et al, 2002

  14. Down syndrome 1980-2000

  15. The Western Australian Child Health Survey: Children with Mental Health* Problems Number (‘000) Per cent Males 30.0 20.0 Females 23.5 15.4 4 to 11 year olds 30.8 16.0 12 to 16 year olds 22.7 20.6 All children 53.5 17.7 * as determined by caregiver and teacher using the Child Behavioural Checklist Zubrick et al 1995

  16. International Study on Psychosocial Disorders in Young People M. Rutter & D. Smith (1995) • Crime, suicide & self harm, depression, eating disorders, use of alcohol & drugs • As these are associated with disadvantage, the expectation was that they should have reduced as living conditions improved. • Clear substantial & sudden increases in these disorders since 1950’s in most developed countries.

  17. Suicide rates in males, by age - 1907 to 1998

  18. Mental Health Age specific suicide rates 1996-98 (WA, SA & NT) Source: Sven Silburn

  19. Increase in Child Abuse Across Australia: • Reported cases of child abuse rose from 91734 to 115471 during the period 1995/6-2000/01 • Number of children placed in out of home care rose from 14078 to 18241 during the period 1997 - 2001

  20. New physical and sexual abuse cases seen at PMH 1982-94 Source: Child Protection Unit PMH, 1997

  21. Child abuse

  22. Care & Protection Rate per 1,000 Children 25 Indigenous Australians Other Australians 20 15 10 5 Substantiations Orders Rates of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and other Australian children aged 0-14 years in substantiations in 1999-00 and on care and protection orders, 30 June 2000 Source : AIHW Child protection data collection & AIHW children on care & protection orders data collection (Table A19.6)

  23. Substance Abuse • Dramatic increase in females smoking and drinking over the last 50 years • Smoking rates for girls higher than boys • Drinking rates for girls equal to those of boys • Major social change • Major public health concern

  24. Alcoholuse Hill 2000

  25. Alcoholuse Hill 2000

  26. Illicit Drug Use Proportion of the population 14 years and over Source: AIHW : Statistics on drug use in Australia 2000

  27. Increase in Juvenile Crime “Difficult to explain why juvenile crime has increased so much in most developed countries in the post war period. Changes in family functioning, increased mobility and associated declines in cohesiveness of local communities along with changes in the pattern of crime opportunities…are the most likely explanations” Rutter & Smith 1995

  28. Juvenile Crime - Violent Assaults MalesAdult : juvenile arrests 1973-74 2.1 : 1 1993-94 1.2 : 1 FemalesAdult : juvenile arrests 1973-74 3.4 : 1 1993-94 1 : 1.9 JuvenileBoys : girls arrested 1973-74 24 : 1 1993-94 4.4 : 1 Homel pc 2001

  29. Juvenile crime Source: Statistics on Juvenile Detention in Australia: 1981 - 2001 AIC Technical & Background Paper Series No1

  30. Secondary Education completion rates SOURCE : P38 Department Education WA Annual Report 2001-2002

  31. Modernity’s Paradox • Increasing wealth, opportunity…. • Increasing social disparity… • Increasing problems in children & youth Source : Keating & Hertzman (1999)

  32. 2. Possible Explanations Relate to the impact of Early Childhood Development

  33. Personal achievement, social competence and emotional resilience Pathways to resilience(Silburn, 2003) Opportunities for achievement and recognition of accomplishments Sense of self-efficacy & self-worth Sense of social connected-ness Healthy beliefs and clear standards Academicsuccess & other achievements Responsive Parenting (i.e. appropriate care stimulation and monitoring) Positive interaction with peers Reduced exposure to harmful drugs Effective learning, communication & problem solving skills Positive interaction with adults Optimal brain development in utero and early childhood Genetic factors Effective self regulation of emotion, attention & social interaction Availability of +ve adult role models & engaging community activities Healthy pregnancy,reduced maternal smoking, alcohol & drug misuse Social and economic environments supportive to child rearing – especially absence of poverty and exposure to violence Time Healthy nutrition in utero & throughout childhood & adolescence

  34. Ecological contexts shaping child development The Larger Social-Structural Community School Child Political Family Economic Cultural Environment From Bronfenbrenner

  35. Multiplicity of factors influencing the declines in development, health & wellbeing in Australian children since the 1950’s: • Increasing: • Wealth • Working hours • Women working outside the home • Unemployment • Family discord & breakdowns • Violence • Youth alienation &adolescent dependence • Media influence • Drug & alcohol availability

  36. Decreasing: • Community cohesion & participation • Neighbourhood trust • Children’s services & facilities

  37. Impact of white colonisation on Aboriginal health today COLONISATION Cultural genocide Stolen children Loss of hunter-gatherer Lifestyle, loss of culture Fixed settlements Fringe camps Urban ghettoes Marginalisation from white society, poor communication and discrimination Poor nutrition Poor housing, Poor hygiene, Overcrowding and Infectious disease Unemployment, Poverty, Poor education Alcohol and Substance abuse Respiratory disease, Ear disease, Rheumatic heart dis. Renal disease Low birthweight, Diabetes mellitus Hypertension Cardiovasc. disease Domestic violence, Accidents, deaths in custody From Matthews 1997

  38. Researchdone insilos Policy developed in silos Health Police Education Employment FaServices Housing Justice Finance Individual good policy development Education Epidemiology Economics Sociology Genetics Criminology Individual good research output

  39. Effects of Criminal Justice System on Crime Rates • Complex • Strong evidence that imprisonment increases likelihood of re offending • No evidence that increasing the rate of detention and conviction reduces crime rates • Punishment should be justified on grounds other that crime reduction. Rutter & Smith 1995

  40. Reducing Juvenile Crime “Crime reduction policy must concentrate on pursuing objectives that are indubitably good in themselves. ie Improving family functioning and school socialisation, improving the effectiveness of formal social controls, especially in local communities, and reducing the opportunities for crime.” Rutter & Smith 1995

  41. AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

  42. SUMMARY OF RATIONALE FOR IMPROVED COLLABORATION • Increases in many childhood diseases, disabilities and problems • Causal pathways many and varied but often have common antecedents • Research in silos: Policy in silos • Policy not evidence based • Fragmented databases

  43. PURPOSE OF ALLIANCE A national collaboration established to facilitate, coordinate and support the development of knowledge and its effective use to enhance the well-being and life chances of children and young people.

  44. ALLIANCEGOALS • To promote collaborative research and agenda setting AND • The application of research topolicy and practice for children and young people

  45. KEY ACTIVITIES OF ALLIANCE • A consensus national research agenda - this will frame: • Establishment of collaborative research nodes • Supported by a national data network, a clearing house of effective interventions, and a communication strategy for turning knowledge into action

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