Psychological distress and subjective health status of adolescents living with a sibling with care needs: a population-based study.
- Author:
Kohei ENAMI
1
;
Ichiro KAWACHI
2
;
Tsuguhiko KATO
1
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: Children/adolescents with care needs; Population study; Psychological distress; Self-rated health; Sibling; Spillover effect
- MeSH: Humans; Adolescent; Male; Female; Siblings/psychology*; Young Adult; Psychological Distress; Japan/epidemiology*; Health Status
- From:Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 2025;30():87-87
- CountryJapan
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:Growing up with a sibling with a chronic health problem or a disability requiring assistance can affect the lives of the family members in various ways. Previous studies documented health problems among siblings of children with a chronic health problem or a disability. However, these studies are limited in that they tend to rely on small convenience samples of children with specific illnesses/disabilities. This study aims to investigate mental health and self-rated health status of siblings of such children using data from a population study in Japan.
METHODS:We used data from the 2016 wave of Japan's Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions. The analytic sample included 16,510 adolescents aged 15-19 years who were living with a sibling with or without care needs. The outcomes were psychological distress as defined by K6 score of 13 or higher and poor self-rated health. We examined these health outcomes of adolescents who have a sibling with care needs to relative to adolescents with a sibling without such needs via logistic regression.
RESULTS:Adolescents who live with a sibling with care needs were more likely to have psychological distress (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.47; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.46-4.17) and poor self-rated health (OR 2.21; 95% CI, 1.30-3.75). These associations were more pronounced in post-high school age (18-19 years old) group than in high school age (15-18 years old) group.
CONCLUSION:The presence of a child with care needs in the household was associated with spillover psychological distress and poorer subjective health among siblings. Providing support for children/adolescents with care needs may have additional benefits in terms of well-being of their siblings.
