Neighborhood ‘double disadvantage’ and child development in inner city and growth areas

Abstract

We examined whether urbanicity – living in inner, middle, outer or growth areas – was associated with children's developmental vulnerability. We also explored effects of neighborhood ‘double disadvantage’, conceptualised as living in an outer or growth area with high neighborhood disadvantage, was associated with children's developmental vulnerability. There seemed to be no relationship between the level of urbanicity and child development, but unsurprisingly children living in the most disadvantaged areas were more likely to be developmentally vulnerable. When taken together, children living in inner city most disadvantaged areas had the poorest developmental outcomes. Consequently, research investigating the impact of urbanicity on child development needs to account for neighborhood disadvantage.