Washington : Who knew moving into a new house could be this dangerous? A new study reveals that early-in-lives move increases the likelihood of multiple adverse outcomes in the later stages of life.
An extensive and long-term study of Danish children followed into adulthood shows moving to a new home during childhood increases the likelihood of multiple adverse outcomes later in life. This unique residential mobility study of 1.4 million people tracked them from their 15th birthday until their early forties.
The data was collected on all people born in Denmark from 1971 to 1997 documenting every residential childhood move from birth to 14 years. Each move was associated with the age of the child so that the impact of early-in-life moves could be contrasted with moves during the early teenage years.
With a number of comprehensive national registries at their disposal, the researchers’ team was able to measure and correlate subsequent negative events in adulthood, including attempted suicide, violent criminality, psychiatric illness, substance misuse and natural and unnatural deaths.
“Owing to its uniquely complete and accurate registration of all residential changes in its population, Denmark is the only country where it is currently possible to conduct such a comprehensive national investigation of childhood residential mobility and risk of adverse outcomes in later life,” said lead investigator Roger T. Webb of the University of Manchester.
The risk of adverse outcomes due to residential mobility during childhood was classified into three categories: self-directed and interpersonal violence: (attempted suicide, violent criminality), mental illness and substance misuse (any psychiatric diagnosis, substance misuse), and premature mortality (natural and unnatural deaths).
Interestingly, the initial hypothesis that adverse outcomes might be more prevalent in households with lower SES was not borne out by this study.
According to Dr. Webb, “Childhood residential mobility is associated with multiple long-term adverse outcomes. Although frequent residential mobility could be a marker for familial psychosocial difficulties, the elevated risks were observed across the socioeconomic spectrum, and mobility may be intrinsically harmful. Health and social services, schools, and other public agencies should be vigilant of the psychological needs of relocated adolescents, including those from affluent as well as deprived families.”
This research has been published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine.(ANI)