What can be done with EDI data?

Aggregate results on developmental health

EDI results for individuals may be aggregated to various levels of complexity, provided the groupings can be categorized in a clear and meaningful way. The useful results that can be aggregated, averaged, and reported include the following:

• Demographic variables for children (e.g., gender, age, first language).
  • E.g., Jurisdictional, socioeconomic and gender inequalities in child health and development: analysis of a national census of 5-year-olds in Australia
• Locally specific variables (e.g., children’s participation in local programs, residence in particular neighbourhoods)—to show local distribution and/or compare with normative data.
  • E.g., Integrated Early Childhood Program participation, parenting and child development outcomes: The Toronto First Duty Project
• Variations in developmental health by microlevel units of aggregation (e.g., schools, city neighbourhoods, nongeographic communities such as ethnic groups)—to provide locally relevant information about children’s developmental health.
  • E.g., City of Toronto: Raising the Village
• Comprehensive, macrolevel aggregations of developmental health for large geographic or jurisdictional areas (e.g., by city, province, country)—to provide useful information for many purposes. These results will not necessarily be applicable to all neighbourhoods or smaller communities because of the variation among populations in large areas.
  • E.g., Children vulnerable in areas of early development: A determinant of child health

Compare results among groups

EDI data may be used to show differences between and among groups. For example, EDI data can be used to:

• Look at gender differences in developmental health (e.g., average scores of boys and girls in EDI domains; percentage of boys and girls who are vulnerable)—which could be presented using statistics and simple graphics.
  • E.g., The first 5 years: A foundation for life
• Compare groups across geographic areas—for example, apart from demographic variables (e.g., gender, age), comparisons of children who did or did not participate in a specific program or did or did not attend preschool.
• Compare average scores and contrast a range of scores across neighbourhoods—for example, two communities may differ slightly in the overall percentage of children who are vulnerable in developmental health, , but a more detailed comparison could show that the percentage range of vulnerable children across neighbourhoods in one community is much wider than that in the other community.
  • E.g., Toronto EDI results: Riding profiles

Examine results in association with other societal indicators

Macrolevel aggregations of EDI scores are useful data in association with other societal indicators. For example, EDI data on developmental health could be studied in relation to:

• National macrolevel indicators—for example, gross domestic product (GDP), or city, country, state/province statistics on education levels, school enrolment, and income
  • E.g., School readiness survey of Montreal children starting school
• Longer-term outcomes, including older children’s outcomes (if presented at the same macrolevel)—for example, school dropout rates, enrolment in academic programs
  • E.g., Special Education: Structural overview and student demographics – EDI status in kindergarten and special needs status by Grade 9
• Environmental or geographic statistics (if the level of aggregation is comparable)—for example, pollution levels, availability of parks and playgrounds
• Policy issues (e.g., availability and duration of parental leaves) in association with international variations in EDI results
  • E.g., Parental leave and child care arrangements during the first 12 months of life are associated with children’s development five years later
• Population-level health variables (e.g., low birth rates, childhood injuries, frequency of breastfeeding)
  • E.g., The Early Development Instrument (EDI) in Manitoba: Linking socioeconomic adversity and biological vulnerability at birth to children’s outcomes at age 5