Table 2

Risk of mental health (MH)-related events and diagnoses when exposed to different levels of child protection involvement

Any MH eventMH-related eventMH diagnosis
CharacteristicsUnivariateMultivariateUnivariateMultivariateUnivariateMultivariate
HR (95% CI)HR (95% CI)*HR (95% CI)*HR (95% CI)*HR (95% CI)HR (95% CI)*
Gender
 Female0.93 (0.91 to 0.95)0.92 (0.90 to 0.94)1.10 (1.08 to 1.13)1.11 (1.08 to 1.15)0.86 (0.84 to 0.88)0.84 (0.82 to 0.87)
 MaleReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
Aboriginality
 Non-aboriginalReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
 Aboriginal4.20 (4.08 to 4.33)1.65 (1.58 to 1.73)6.26 (6.05 to 6.48)2.21 (2.10 to 2.32)2.03 (1.94 to 2.12)0.95 (0.89 to 1.01)
Socioeconomic status (SES)
 1 (Most dis-adv)2.63 (2.53 to 2.73)1.38 (1.32 to 1.44)3.26 (3.10 to 3.42)1.46 (1.38 to 1.55)1.96 (1.87 to 2.06)1.24 (1.17 to 1.30)
 21.62 (1.56 to 1.69)1.20 (1.15 to 1.25)1.74 (1.65 to 1.83)1.22 (1.16 to 1.29)1.51 (1.44 to 1.59)1.17 (1.11 to 1.23)
 31.37 (1.31 to 1.43)1.13 (1.08 to 1.18)1.40 (1.32 to 1.48)1.12 (1.06 to 1.19)1.30 (1.23 to 1.37)1.11 (1.05 to 1.17)
 41.21 (1.15 to 1.26)1.09 (1.04 to 1.14)1.23 (1.16 to 1.30)1.09 (1.03 to 1.16)1.18 (1.12 to 1.25)1.07 (1.01 to 1.13)
 5 (least dis-adv)ReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
Parental marital status at birth
 Single2.48 (2.42 to 2.55)1.16 (1.11 to 1.20)2.80 (2.71 to 2.89)1.16 (1.11 to 1.22)2.12 (2.05 to 2.20)1.15 (1.10 to 1.21)
 Married/defactoReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
Maternal age at birth
 <20 years3.14 (3.03 to 3.25)1.24 (1.18 to 1.31)3.87 (3.71 to 4.03)1.28 (1.19 to 1.37)2.39 (2.28 to 2.50)1.18 (1.10 to 1.26)
 20–29 years1.44 (1.40 to 1.47)1.06 (1.03 to 1.09)1.53 (1.49 to 1.58)1.06 (1.02 to 1.11)1.33 (1.29 to 1.36)1.05 (1.01 to 1.09)
 >29 yearsReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
Paternal age at birth
 <20 years2.69 (2.54 to 2.86)0.97 (0.89 to 1.04)3.38 (3.15 to 3.62)0.98 (0.89 to 1.08)2.04 (1.89 to 2.22)0.95 (0.86 to 1.05)
 20–29 years1.47 (1.44 to 1.51)1.08 (1.05 to 1.12)1.56 (1.52 to 1.61)1.08 (1.04 to 1.12)1.38 (1.34 to 1.42)1.08 (1.05 to 1.12)
 >29 yearsReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
Maternal MH contact
 NoReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
 Yes2.86 (2.80 to 2.94)1.89 (1.84 to 1.95)2.84 (2.75 to 2.93)1.69 (1.62 to 1.75)3.00 (2.91 to 3.09)2.15 (2.08 to 2.23)
Maternal substance contact
 NoReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
 Yes3.74 (3.64 to 3.85)1.42 (1.36 to 1.47)4.58 (4.43 to 4.74)1.55 (1.48 to 1.62)2.85 (2.75 to 2.95)1.27 (1.21 to 1.33)
Paternal MH contact
 NoReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
 Yes2.00 (1.94 to 2.06)1.42 (1.37 to 1.47)1.97 (1.90 to 2.04)1.35 (1.29 to 1.41)2.14 (2.06 to 2.22)1.56 (1.49 to 1.63)
Paternal substance contact
 NoReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
 Yes2.24 (2.17 to 2.30)1.30 (1.25 to 1.35)2.51 (2.42 to 2.60)1.39 (1.33 to 1.45)1.98 (1.91 to 2.06)1.20 (1.14 to 1.26)
Child protection involvement
 No involvementReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReferenceReference
 Unsubstantiated allegation3.98 (3.82 to 4.15)2.24 (2.13 to 2.36)4.46 (4.25 to 4.68)2.31 (2.18 to 2.46)3.41 (3.23 to 3.59)2.18 (2.05 to 2.32)
 Substantiated allegation5.34 (5.09 to 5.61)2.71 (2.55 to 2.89)6.36 (6.01 to 6.73)2.84 (2.63 to 3.05)4.28 (4.02 to 4.55)2.69 (2.49 to 2.90)
 Substantiated allegation
 and entered out-of-home
 care
8.45 (8.07 to 8.85)3.03 (2.83 to 3.24)10.90 (10.36 to 11.47)3.54 (3.28 to 3.82)5.86 (5.53 to 6.20)2.65 (2.45 to 2.87)
  • *All other covariates included (aboriginality, gender, SES, parent marital status at birth, maternal age at birth, paternal age at birth, maternal MH contact, maternal substance-related contact, paternal MH contact, paternal substance-related contact).