May 11, 2018 – Social Determinants and Children

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Anchor lead: Programs providing support for children benefit us all, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Social support programs are in the crosshairs when it comes to government cost-cutting, particularly those for children, but a recent report demonstrates that such strategies don’t work out in the long term, for individuals or society. Patricia Davidson, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, says the numbers are persuasive.

Davidson: What this article clearly identified for every dollar that you spend on a child you will reap seven dollars for that investment. Because if we don’t invest in children, if we don’t invest in social determinants of health, people are not going to be positively engaged in society. And we know many of the challenges that we see in society, from violence to the opioid epidemic, are symptoms of marginalization and alienation in society.  :29

Davidson urges everyone to take part in protecting not just healthcare for children, but education and other programs to assure that they are able to grow into their full potential. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.