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Table 8 Adjusted mean scores (M) with confidence intervals (CI) of somatic health problems by age category of siblings

From: Effect of household size on mental problems in children: results from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study

Age/number of older siblings

Na Tot = 51 947

3 years

5 years

3 + 5 years

Short-term somatic problems

Long-term somatic problems

Somatic problems

Somatic problems

M (95 % CI)

M (95 % CI)

M (95 % CI)

M (95 % CI)

<6 years

0

28 994

-

-

-

 

1

19 384

.03 (.01, .05)

.07 (.05, .09)

.04 (.01, .07)

.05 (.03, .08)

2+

3 569

.01 (-.01, .05)

-.02 (-.05, .02)

-.02 (-.07, .03)

-.01 (-.06, .04)

6–11 year

0

44 625

-

-

-

-

1

5 520

.02 (-.01, .05)

.00 (-.03, .03)

.00 (-.04, .04)

.01 (-.03, .06)

2+

1 802

-.01 (-.05, .04)

-.06 (-.11,-.01)

-.05 (-.11, .01)

-.05 (-.12, .02)

12–18 years

0

49 622

-

-

-

-

1

1 798

.01 (-.04, .06)

.01 (-.05, .05)

-.02 (-.09, .04)

-.01 (-.09, .06)

2+

527

-.08 (-.16, .01)

.07 (-.03, .17)

.06 (-.06, .18)

.08 (-.07, .23)

  1. aNumbers in the full sample of participants at 3 years of age. Overall sample sizes are 28 768 for 5 years and 24 982 for 3 + 5 years
  2. The outcome scores are z-scaled (SD = 1) with no siblings of the indicated ages as reference. The results are adjusted for maternal and paternal educational level, family income, maternal and paternal period of leave from work after birth, maternal breastfeeding status when child is 18 months, and animals in the family. Significant effects (p < 0.05) in bold