TY - JOUR
T1 - Children and US federal policy on health and health care
T2 - Seen but not heard
AU - Flores, Glenn
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright 2014 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/12/1
Y1 - 2014/12/1
N2 - Children account for 73.5 million Americans (24%), but 8%of federal expenditures. Data on health and health care indicate that child well-being in the United States has been in decline since the most recent recession. Childhood poverty has reached its highest level in 20 years, 1 in 4 children lives in a food-insecure household, 7 million children lack health insurance, a child is abused or neglected every 47 seconds, and 1 in 3 children is overweight or obese. Five children are killed daily by firearms, 1 in 5 experiences a mental disorder, racial/ethnic disparities continue to be extensive and pervasive, and major sequester cuts and underfunding of pediatric research have damaged our global leadership in biomedical research and hobbled economic growth. In this analysis, we identify 10 urgent priorities for the health and health care of US children, including poverty, food insufficiency, lack of health insurance, child abuse and neglect, overweight and obesity, firearm deaths and injuries, mental health, racial/ethnic disparities, immigration, and research. Overwhelming, bipartisan support by voters exists for enhancing our nation's investments in children's health and well-being. Federal policy action steps are proposed to successfully address these priorities and ensure a healthy, productive future for US children and the nation.
AB - Children account for 73.5 million Americans (24%), but 8%of federal expenditures. Data on health and health care indicate that child well-being in the United States has been in decline since the most recent recession. Childhood poverty has reached its highest level in 20 years, 1 in 4 children lives in a food-insecure household, 7 million children lack health insurance, a child is abused or neglected every 47 seconds, and 1 in 3 children is overweight or obese. Five children are killed daily by firearms, 1 in 5 experiences a mental disorder, racial/ethnic disparities continue to be extensive and pervasive, and major sequester cuts and underfunding of pediatric research have damaged our global leadership in biomedical research and hobbled economic growth. In this analysis, we identify 10 urgent priorities for the health and health care of US children, including poverty, food insufficiency, lack of health insurance, child abuse and neglect, overweight and obesity, firearm deaths and injuries, mental health, racial/ethnic disparities, immigration, and research. Overwhelming, bipartisan support by voters exists for enhancing our nation's investments in children's health and well-being. Federal policy action steps are proposed to successfully address these priorities and ensure a healthy, productive future for US children and the nation.
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U2 - 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.1701
DO - 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.1701
M3 - Article
C2 - 25329439
AN - SCOPUS:84925223967
SN - 2168-6203
VL - 168
SP - 1155
EP - 1163
JO - JAMA pediatrics
JF - JAMA pediatrics
IS - 12
ER -