Performance of The Basic Competence Test for Junior High School Students among Preterm and Low Birth weight Infants

• Main Authors: Wang Wen-Li, 王文利
• Other Authors: Chung-Yi LI
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/nkfw59

碩士 === 輔仁大學 === 公共衛生學系碩士班 === 94 === Abstract BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE：This study investigates if the birth characteristics of students with low birth weight or preterm birth influence on their performances in The Basic Competence Test for Junior High School Students (Bctest) by non-concurrent cohort study design. This study also focuses on the interactions between familial financial security and preterm birth or low weight birth. In whole, our study analyzes the performances of students with term low weight birth (<2500 gm), preterm normal birth weight (<37 weeks), preterm low birth weight (< 2500 gm and <37 weeks), and term normal birth weight birth in Chinese, English, mathematics, social science, and science, respectively, in Bctest. We examine if their scores percentile greater than 75 or less than 25 with 95% confidence interval, and if their odds ratio changes with the educational level of their parents. METHODS：This study utilizes national newborn information bank and correlates with the Bctest scores. We collecte the Bctest scores of students who were born between September 1, 1985 and August 31, 1990. Multiple multinomial logistic regression models were applied to control the potential interferencing factors such as sex, birth order, single-birth or multiple-birth, birth month, ages of parents, educational level of parents, birth identity, current living place, and birth place. We found the performances of three exposed groups (term low weight birth, preterm normal birth weight, and preterm low birth weight) got lesser percentiles and better adjusted odds ratios, compared to control groups (term normal birth weight birth.). Besides, we evaluate if the eductiaonal level of their parents modifies the correlations between birth characteristics (birth weight and pregnancy terms) and the performances in Bctest by stratified analysis of the higher educational level of the father or mother. RESULTS：This study indicates that after the interferencing factors being controlled, the average scores of students who were born with term low birth weight or preterm normal birth weight in each subject in Bctest are 1~2 marks lower than the control groups. And the total scores in Bctest are 11~12 marks lower, too. As for the modifications of educational level of the parents, we found two exposed groups of term low birth weight and preterm low birth weight falling on lesser odds ratio of total scores in Bctest. Their odds ratios decrease slightly but not remarkably by linear trend if higher of the educational level of the parents. On the other hand, the total scores of the premature birth group tend to be similar with that of the control groups when higher of the educational level of the parents. Furthermore, stratified analysis of birth weight and gestational age shows that students with preterm low birth weight (gestational age 32~ <37 weeks and birth weight <1000 gm) got lesser total scores in Bactest and falls on the highest odds ratio 3.16 (95％CI=1.31-7.64). Above-mentioned influences of gestational age and birth weight on respective subject in Bactest have similar findings, too. CONCLUSION：Some study shows that low intelligence in childhood will affect the intelligence when in middle and old age. This outcome of our study shows that students with term low birth weight or preterm low birth weight got remarkably lower scores in Bctest than students with term normal birth weight. Besides, this finding is not easily affected by educational level of their parents. Therefore, prevention of low birth weight birth is the essential method to avoid students having poor performance in Bctest. Furthermore, the study shows that the influence of birth weight on the performance in Bctest is greater than the gestational age. Key words：term low weight birth、preterm normal birth weight、 preterm low birth weight、Bctest