Child health equity and primary care

Area of Science:

• Child Health Equity
• Health Services Research
• Psychology in Primary Care

Background:

• Significant child health disparities exist in the US, reflecting broader societal inequities.
• Marginalized children disproportionately bear health burdens due to inadequate access to services.
• The pediatric patient-centered medical home (P-PCMH) model, while designed for comprehensive care, often perpetuates inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate how integrating psychologists into the P-PCMH can promote child health equity.
• To emphasize the multifaceted roles psychologists can adopt to advance equity.
• To utilize the ecobiodevelopmental model as a framework for psychologists' contributions to health equity.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of psychologists' roles (clinician, consultant, trainer, administrator, researcher, advocate) within the P-PCMH.
• Emphasis on addressing structural and ecological drivers of health inequities.
• Focus on interprofessional collaboration and community-partnered approaches.

Main Results:

• Psychologists can play crucial roles in promoting equity within the P-PCMH.
• Integration facilitates addressing complex, intersecting drivers of health inequities (ecological, biological, developmental).
• The P-PCMH platform can be enhanced to promote policy, practice, prevention, and research in child health equity.

Conclusions:

• Integrating psychologists into P-PCMH is a viable strategy to advance child health equity.
• Psychologists' diverse roles are essential for addressing the multifaceted nature of health disparities.
• This integration supports a more equitable and comprehensive approach to child wellness.