A Quasi-Experimental Study of the Effects of Pre-Kindergarten Education on Pediatric Asthma

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Public Health Policy
• Early Childhood Education

Background:

• Access to Pre-K education is a significant policy concern in the U.S.
• Pre-K is known to benefit cognitive development, but its impact on child health is understudied.
• Pediatric asthma is a common chronic condition in children, necessitating research into its determinants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between Pre-K program participation and pediatric asthma diagnosis.
• To analyze short-term and long-term effects of Pre-K on asthma-related healthcare utilization.
• To provide evidence for policymakers regarding the health implications of early childhood education programs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized North Carolina child data linked with state Medicaid claims (2011-2017).
• Included 279 children in Pre-K and 333 unenrolled children, with 51,408 person-month observations.
• Employed a difference-in-differences model with panel analysis (before, during, after Pre-K).
• Identified asthma using ICD 9/10 codes.

Main Results:

• Children in Pre-K showed a slightly increased risk of asthma diagnosis during enrollment (b = 0.0145, p = 0.058).
• A significant decrease in asthma diagnosis risk was observed post-Pre-K participation (b = -0.0216, p = 0.002).
• Findings suggest Pre-K may temporarily increase, then decrease, asthma-related service use.

Conclusions:

• Pre-K enrollment appears to be associated with short-term increases in asthma diagnoses.
• Long-term effects indicate a reduced risk of asthma diagnosis after children leave Pre-K.
• Early childhood education programs may influence pediatric health outcomes, warranting further investigation.