TITLE:
Ready or Not: An Examination of Health and Educational Disparities through the Lens of a Social Determinants of Health Framework during Early Childhood
AUTHORS:
Roseanne L. Flores
KEYWORDS:
Health Disparities, Early Childhood, Poverty, African-American and Hispanic Children, Social Determinants of Health, National Survey of Children’s Health
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.9 No.3,
March
22,
2021
ABSTRACT: Objective: African-American, Hispanic, and poor children are at the utmost risk of
experiencing adverse health and educational outcomes. Research has demonstrated
that health and education disparities occur within the context of social
determinants of health. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship
between social determinants of health and health and educational disparities
that begin early childhood. Methods: Using data from the 2011/ 2012
National Survey of Children’s Health the sample for the current
study included data for 1496 African-American and 2451 Hispanic children 3 - 5
years of age. Indicators of potential health and education disparities included
measures of access to healthcare, measures of health and dental health, and
measures of early childhood experiences. Results: The findings revealed
that African-American, Hispanic, and poor children experienced more significant disparities in health and early childhood
outcomes than their White and wealthier peers and that neighborhood
risks were related to poorer health and educational outcomes. Conclusions: The results suggest that ensuring health equity and reducing health and
educational disparities during early childhood can only occur by focusing on
upstream determinants of health which include risk exposure, social
disadvantage, and social inequities.