Childhood Disability and Educational Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Graduation from high school is an important milestone for all adolescents and affects future health in adulthood. Children with chronic illnesses have additional challenges that affect school attendance, grade retention and graduation. If children with chronic conditions are not able to participate fully in education, this may limit their opportunities for future health. The aim of this study was to integrate the evidence in the past 28 years about educational outcomes of children and adolescents with chronic conditions causing disability.

Quantitative studies reporting on a chronic condition and attendance, grade retention, or high school graduation, from a peer-reviewed journal in the English language, data collection since 1990, and research conducted with a population in the United States were eligible for review.

Forty-three studies from a literature search of CINAHL, MEDLINE, ERIC, Teacher Reference Center, Psychology & Behavioral Science Collection, and Academic Search Elite databases, followed by ancestry searches, were included in this review.

In general, chronic conditions are significantly associated with increased absenteeism, grade repetition and not completing high school within four years, although hemophilia does not follow this pattern. Additionally, increased severity of the condition is associated with poorer educational outcomes.

Nurses and other healthcare providers should include an educational assessment as part of psychosocial assessment of children and adolescents to identify risk, intervene early and limit risk.