The impact of area deprivation on parenting stress.

BACKGROUND Area deprivation negatively affects health and lifestyles, among which child behaviours. The latter may aggravate the effects of area deprivation on parental health due to higher rates of parenting stress. However, evidence on the influence of the living environment on parenting stress is mostly lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of area deprivation and urbanization on the occurrence of parenting stress. METHODS A cross-sectional multi-level study was conducted using both neighbourhood- and individual-level data. Living areas were categorized into tertiles of deprivation. Data on parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index), child psychosocial problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and family background were collected among 9453 parents prior to a routine health examination of their child (response: 65%). RESULTS In the deprived areas, parents reported parenting stress more often compared with the least deprived tertile (OR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.04-1.46). Adjusted for child problem behaviour, the association decreases (OR = 1.11; 95% CI 0.92-1.34). A small clustering of parenting stress by area was found which increased when child and family characteristics were taken into account. CONCLUSION Parents from deprived areas were most likely to report parenting stress. Differences by area deprivation were partially accounted for by child problem behaviour and parental concerns about the behavioural and emotional problems of the child. This shows a rather large potential to improve both parental and child health by targeted parenting support in deprived areas.