Boys have more health problems in childhood than girls: follow-up of the 1987 Finnish birth cohort

The purpose of this study was to describe gender differences in children's health until the age of 7 y. The study cohort: consisted of all children bo rn in Finland in 1987 (n = 60 254), of whom 99.9% were identified in the fo llow-up. Childhood health data were received from five national registers ( 1987-94), from regional registers of intellectual disabilities (1987-96) an d from education registers in the largest county (1996). Boys hd a 20% high er risk for a low;min Apgar score and an 11% higher risk for being preterm, After the perinatal period, boys had a 64% higher cumulative incidence of asthma, a 43% higher cumulative incidence of intellectual disability, a 22% higher incidence of mortality and a higher, but not statistically signific ant, incidence of epilepsy and vision disorders. Na male excess was found f or diabetes or hearing disorders. The healthcare-related indicators showed poorer health for boys, who had a 37% higher mean of hospital days, a 28% h igher risk for receiving social benefits due to health problems and a 13% h igher risk for long-term medication. The differences in the socially define d indicators were greatest, and boys had a two- to three-fold risk of havin g delayed development, postponed school start or attendance in special educ ation programmes. Gender differences in different social classes were simil ar. Boys' shorter gestational age at birth did not explain the gender diffe rences in childhood health. Some of boys' poorer health seemed to be biolog ically based, but the social causes of health problems are amenable to chan ge. In particular, the potential of the school system. to reduce ill health among boys should be investigated.