Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)
Background: Parents’ educational background is presumed to influence the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases in children through their decisions about vaccinations and other family lifestyle choices. Regarding voluntary vaccination, a household’s economic situation may also be associated with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Japan Epidemiological Association
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Epidemiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jea/35/4/35_JE20240192/_pdf |
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| author | Masami Narita Midori Yamamoto Kenichi Sakurai Chisato Mori the Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group |
| author_facet | Masami Narita Midori Yamamoto Kenichi Sakurai Chisato Mori the Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group |
| author_sort | Masami Narita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Parents’ educational background is presumed to influence the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases in children through their decisions about vaccinations and other family lifestyle choices. Regarding voluntary vaccination, a household’s economic situation may also be associated with non-vaccination. Therefore, this study investigated the association between parental education and vaccine-preventable diseases (varicella, mumps, influenza [flu], pertussis, measles, and rubella) in children, which currently remains elusive. Methods: We used datasets from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, which included 104,062 fetal records; our study population comprised 80,930 children up to the age of 3 years. The associations between parental educational background and children’s infectious diseases were examined using binomial logistic regression analysis. The mediating effects of household income, vaccination, and smoking were examined using a path analysis. Results: For varicella, mumps, and influenza covered by voluntary vaccination, a higher education level of the father was associated with a lower incidence of infection. The association between mothers’ education and children’s infection was limited. There were both income-mediated and non-income-mediated pathways between parental education and voluntary vaccination. For pertussis, measles, and rubella, which are covered by routine vaccines, there was no association between parental education and the child’s infection. Conclusion: An association between parental education and childhood infections was observed. Providing financial support for vaccination and communicating the benefits of vaccination in a way that parents at all levels of education can understand may help reduce the incidence of infectious diseases among children. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0b2be613497840a395f664ad0d8b68b0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0917-5040 1349-9092 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Japan Epidemiological Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Epidemiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-0b2be613497840a395f664ad0d8b68b02025-08-20T01:54:15ZengJapan Epidemiological AssociationJournal of Epidemiology0917-50401349-90922025-04-0135417818610.2188/jea.JE20240192Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)Masami Narita0Midori Yamamoto1Kenichi Sakurai2Chisato Mori3the Japan Environment and Children’s Study GroupDepartment of Sustainable Health Science, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, JapanDepartment of Sustainable Health Science, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, JapanDepartment of Nutrition and Metabolic Medicine, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, JapanDepartment of Sustainable Health Science, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, JapanBackground: Parents’ educational background is presumed to influence the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases in children through their decisions about vaccinations and other family lifestyle choices. Regarding voluntary vaccination, a household’s economic situation may also be associated with non-vaccination. Therefore, this study investigated the association between parental education and vaccine-preventable diseases (varicella, mumps, influenza [flu], pertussis, measles, and rubella) in children, which currently remains elusive. Methods: We used datasets from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, which included 104,062 fetal records; our study population comprised 80,930 children up to the age of 3 years. The associations between parental educational background and children’s infectious diseases were examined using binomial logistic regression analysis. The mediating effects of household income, vaccination, and smoking were examined using a path analysis. Results: For varicella, mumps, and influenza covered by voluntary vaccination, a higher education level of the father was associated with a lower incidence of infection. The association between mothers’ education and children’s infection was limited. There were both income-mediated and non-income-mediated pathways between parental education and voluntary vaccination. For pertussis, measles, and rubella, which are covered by routine vaccines, there was no association between parental education and the child’s infection. Conclusion: An association between parental education and childhood infections was observed. Providing financial support for vaccination and communicating the benefits of vaccination in a way that parents at all levels of education can understand may help reduce the incidence of infectious diseases among children.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jea/35/4/35_JE20240192/_pdfparental educationchild’s infectionmediating factorvaccination |
| spellingShingle | Masami Narita Midori Yamamoto Kenichi Sakurai Chisato Mori the Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Journal of Epidemiology parental education child’s infection mediating factor vaccination |
| title | Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) |
| title_full | Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) |
| title_fullStr | Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) |
| title_short | Associations of Parental Education With Children’s Infectious Diseases and Their Mediating Factors: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) |
| title_sort | associations of parental education with children s infectious diseases and their mediating factors the japan environment and children s study jecs |
| topic | parental education child’s infection mediating factor vaccination |
| url | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jea/35/4/35_JE20240192/_pdf |
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