Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40456517›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of public health2025

Does individual-level socio-economic position modify the association between area-level deprivation and early childhood language development? A multilevel analysis of cross-sectional population data from Germany.

Stephanie Hoffmann, Niels Michalski, Nico Dragano, Jacob Spallek

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Social determinants of brain structure and cognition.Social science & medicine (1982) · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Stephanie HoffmannDepartment of Public Health, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-6887-2831
Niels MichalskiDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5943-1361
Nico DraganoInstitute of Medical Sociology, Centre for Health and Society, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0378-0757
Jacob SpallekDepartment of Public Health, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-6312-034X

Funding

Federal Ministry of Education and Research 01EL2350A
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Early childhood is a public health priority for enhancing health equity across the life course. Children are susceptible to individual-level socio-economic position (SEP) and the socio-economic deprivation of their place of residence, both of which contribute to differences in psychomotor development, including language. This study investigates whether individual-level SEP modifies the association between area-level deprivation and language development. This study used population-based, cross-sectional data from a School Entry Survey in Germany (2021; female: n = 9751, male: n = 10 623; age in years: ≤6 n = 11 423; 6-≤7 n = 8 746; >7 n = 205; native language: German n = 18 752; not German n = 943; bilingual n = 679), which was linked to the 'German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation' (GISD). Binary multilevel models [odds ratio (OR), 95% CI] were used to analyse the interaction of GISD (measured continuously) with individual-level SEP (categorized as high/medium/low) according to delayed language development (DLD in % yes/no), which was assessed using validated instruments of 'social-pediatric screening of developmental status for school entry'. Individual SEP was tested as a moderator by stratifying the analyses. The interaction of GISD with SEP was associated with DLD (ORmediumSEP*GISD = 1.13; 1.04-1.24; ORlowSEP*GISD = 1.27; 1.13-1.43), with the main effect of GISD (OR = 0.85; 0.77-0.93). In SEP stratification, GISD was only partially associated with DLD (ORhighSEP = 0.81; 0.73-0.91; ORmediumSEP = 0.97; 0.89-1.07; ORlowSEP = 1.14; 0.99-1.32). This study demonstrates an association between area-level deprivation and DLD that is modified by individual-level SEP. The findings underscore the importance of stratification by individual-level SEP in analysing area-level effects on health, as the area-level effects can be contradictory according to individual-level SEP.

Indexed as

Language DevelopmentLanguage Development DisordersResidence CharacteristicsSocial ClassChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMultilevel AnalysisSocioeconomic Factors

Identifiers

PMID40456517
PMCPMC12311342

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