Association of early migration with child growth, cognition and behaviour in South Africa

Objective The main objective of the study was to examine the association of migration with child growth, cognition and behaviour in South Africa. Methods Secondary analysis assessing effects of migration on child outcomes among a population cohort of women and children (n = 1238) recruited in Cape Town, South African townships and repeatedly assessed from birth to age eight. Logistic regression models analysed sociodemographic predictors of migration and longitudinal models assessed the association of child migration, with or without their mother, on child growth, cognition and behavioural outcomes. Results By 8 years post-birth, 41% of children born in the townships in Cape Town had migrated to the rural Eastern Cape. Staying in Cape Town, or not migrating, was associated with having an older mother. Children who migrated with their mothers were shorter and weighed less than those who did not migrate. Children who migrated had larger vocabularies and those who migrated with their mothers had fewer behavioural problems than children who stayed in Cape Town. Conclusion Migration in South Africa between peri-urban Cape Town and rural Eastern Cape areas during a child's early years is common and is associated with both positive and negative child outcomes.