Children with disabilities and chronic conditions and longer-term parental health

Children with disabilities and chronic conditions and longer-term parental health

Burton P; Lethbridge L; Phipps S

2006

Parents; Chronic disease; Child Disability; Chronic Condition; Disabilities; Disability; Gender Roles; identity; NET Grey Lit; Parental Health

This paper uses panel data from the Statistics Canada National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (1994 through 2000) to study the implications of parenting a child with a disability or chronic condition for subjective assessments of parental health. We find mother's health to be negatively affected, particularly if the disability is longer-term. Within families, the wife's health deteriorates relative to her husband's when they are parenting a child with a disability. These results are consistent with Akerlof and Kranton's (2000) arguments that 'identity' is an important determinant of both behaviour and well-being. For parents of children with disabilities, the behaviour associated with a traditional 'good mother' identity (e.g., care-giving) appears to have more adverse health consequences than the behaviour associated with a 'good father' identity (e.g., bread-winning).

2006

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