Neighborhood Influences on the Academic Achievement of Extremely Low Birth Weight Children

Objective To examine neighborhood effects on academic achievement of children with extremely low birth weight (ELBW < 1000 g) and normal birth weight (NBW) controls. Methods The study included 183 8-year-old children with ELBW born during 1992-1995 and 176 sociodemographically similar NBW controls. Academic achievement was measured via The Woodcock-Johnson III Academic Skills Cluster. Results Children with ELBW had significantly lower achievement scores (89 +/- 16 vs. 97 +/- 13). A multilevel estimation of predictors of academic achievement revealed that neighborhood poverty was significantly associated with lower achievement (beta = -.17; 95% CI -.3, -.05; p < .01). Additional correlates included birth weight status, male sex, and parent ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. Family characteristics included maternal education and parent protection. Conclusions Neighborhood characteristics affect academic achievement of both children with ELBW and NBW controls, over and above individual and family influences. Interventions designed to address family and neighborhood factors may potentially improve these outcomes.