Childhood Poverty

Poor children are at greater risk for worse health, less productivity, and harms to well-being that extend into adulthood and subsequent generations. Timing and duration of poverty matter and influence life course outcomes, especially for education, health, and lifetime productivity. This article focuses on interventions by policy advocacy and the pediatric health system, and protection of the health and well-being of families in economic hardship from disadvantages and trauma wrought by poverty. A framework is presented for child poverty prevention and its consequences for lifelong health and success on a national scale.

Key points

  • Children living in poor households are at greater risk for worse health, less productivity, and harms to well-being far into adulthood and on into subsequent generations.

  • Timing and duration of poverty matter for outcomes throughout the life course, especially for education attainment, health, and lifetime productivity.

  • Attention must be focused on interventions at the levels of policy advocacy and the pediatric health delivery system on ways to protect the health and well-being of children and families in economic hardship from the dynamic disadvantages and trauma wrought by poverty.

  • A framework for the prevention of child poverty and its dangerous consequences for lifelong health and success on a national scale is presented.

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Oct 2, 2017 | Posted by in PEDIATRICS | Comments Off on Childhood Poverty

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