Child poverty and health inequalities in the UK: a guide for paediatricians

2022/06/09 by Alice Lee, Camilla Kingdon, Max Davie +2 · 1 voice
Health Professions · #Child and Adolescent Health #Healthcare Systems and Challenges #Healthcare cost, quality, practices

paper · doi:10.1136/archdischild-2021-323671

openalex publication_date 2022/06/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

One in three children in the UK lives in relative poverty. There are clear and consistent links between child poverty and paediatric morbidity and mortality. In this review, we discuss drivers for family poverty in the UK, and how this leads to poor child health outcomes. We present a framework for healthcare professionals and institutions to consider interventions and strategies relating to socioeconomic health inequalities. We will focus on approaches to mitigate the effects of child poverty on children using our services at a local level and outline the importance of healthcare workers advocating for structural and high-level policy change to address the deep-rooted societal problems that cause child poverty.

Discussions

• This summary of how poverty and inequalities affect child health has been back in my mind again recently. Still relevant 3 years after publication doi.org/10.1136/arch... @iansinha.bsky.social @cami [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]

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