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The changing nature of children's health development: new challenges require major policy solutions

Neal Halfon1, Paul H Wise2, Christopher B Forrest3

  • 1Neal Halfon (nhalfon@ucla.edu) is a professor of pediatrics at the Geffen School of Medicine; a professor of health policy and management at the Fielding School of Public Health; and a professor of public policy at the Luskin School of Public Affairs, all at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and is director of the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities.

Health Affairs (Project Hope)
|December 10, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Childhood health is declining due to adverse conditions, impacting lifelong well-being. Policy changes are needed to improve child health outcomes and lifelong health trajectories.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric epidemiology
  • Life-course health development
  • Social determinants of child health

Background:

  • American childhood faces changing epidemiology with rising preventable illnesses and disabilities.
  • Adverse social, economic, and child-rearing conditions overwhelm health, education, and social service systems.
  • Current challenges in child health jeopardize not only children but also future adult health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the science of life-course health development.
  • To provide a framework for understanding childhood adversity's impact on lifelong health.
  • To propose policy recommendations for enhancing child health.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scientific literature on life-course health development.
  • Analysis of the impact of social and economic factors on child health.
  • Development of policy recommendations integrating multiple sectors.

Main Results:

  • Life-course health development science explains how early adversity affects lifelong health.
  • Existing systems are strained by the increasing burden of childhood illness and dysfunction.
  • Five policy recommendations are proposed to integrate health, education, and social initiatives.

Conclusions:

  • Early life adversity significantly impacts long-term health trajectories.
  • Integrated policy initiatives are crucial for improving child health.
  • The goal is to elevate US children's health to the highest international standards by 2025.

Keywords:
Children’s HealthDeterminants Of HealthDisparitiesEpidemiologyHealth Reform

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