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Special Issue "Inequities and Interventions in Children's Health and Wellbeing"

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Children's Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2023 | Viewed by 3616

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hui Huang
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
Interests: child welfare; health disparity; substance use; juvenile justice

Dr. Qi Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Interests: child maltreatment; complex effects of out-of-home placements on child mental and behavioral health; sequelae of problem behavior among maltreated and system-involved youth; kinship care and kin caregiver's mental health
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Children from disadvantaged circumstances are more likely to experience physical and mental health issues than their more advantaged peers. Examples of these issues are low birthweight, obesity, infectious diseases, and anxiety. Disadvantaged children are also more likely to have adverse childhood experiences, such as child abuse and neglect, childhood poverty, exposure to violence at home and in the community, which comprises their well-being (e.g., health and mental health, behavioral health, educational achievement). Socioeconomic disadvantages are the root causes of these inequalities. Interventions need to disrupt pathways to create more equitable health and wellbeing trajectories.

This Special Issue is interested in manuscripts that that address a wide range of issues and topics related to: (1) inequalities in children’s health and well-being and/or (2) innovative thinking and intervention to reduce such inequalities. Qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, and review papers are welcome.

Dr. Hui Huang
Dr. Qi Wu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

inequalities among children
disadvantaged or vulnerable children
children’s health
children’s wellbeing
social-emotional wellbeing
children’s welfare
policies
interventions
programs and services
child maltreatment
exposure to violence
protective care
youth justice
children’s health insurance

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Experiences of Undocumented Parents Reuniting with Children Who Entered the United States as Unaccompanied Minors

Maryam Rafieifar

Miriam Potocky

Hui Huang

Richard L. Beaulaurier

and

Sloan Bruan Lorenzini

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4496; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054496 - 03 Mar 2023

Viewed by 807

Abstract

In 2021, the United States saw an exponential influx of unaccompanied migrant children crossing the U.S.–Mexico border. Upon apprehension at the border, unaccompanied children are placed in the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) temporary shelter facilities. The ORR is responsible for locating, vetting, and releasing the children to their family, guardians, or a suitable sponsor. Undocumented parents seeking reunification may fear cross-examination and background checks. This study aimed to explore the experiences of undocumented families reunified with their children with the help of a community-based organization (CBO). A collective case study method was used to collect qualitative data from seven parents. Respondent parents expressed their rationale for allowing their children to cross the U.S.–Mexico border, their experience with the ORR, and the reasons they pursued community-based guidance. The results document the depth of trauma and difficulties parents of unaccompanied migrant children face with American service providers. It is recommended that immigration-related government agencies form relationships with culturally diverse organizations that are trusted by immigrant communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequities and Interventions in Children's Health and Wellbeing)

Open AccessArticle

Social Inequalities: Do They Matter in Asthma, Bronchitis, and Respiratory Symptoms in Children?

Agata Wypych-Ślusarska

Karolina Krupa-Kotara

and

Ewa Niewiadomska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15366; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215366 - 21 Nov 2022

Viewed by 985

Abstract

Background: Social inequalities (e.g., poverty and low level of education) generate inequalities in health. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between indicators of social inequalities and the frequency of respiratory symptoms, asthma, and bronchitis in children. Material and Methods: In 2019, an epidemiological cross-sectional study on 3237 students from elementary schools in Silesia Voivodships (South Poland) was conducted. The students’ parents completed a questionnaire based on the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Social inequalities in the children’s families were determined according to parents’ education and professional status (working vs. unemployed), self-assessment of economic status, and housing conditions. To determine the influence of social factors on the occurrence of asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory symptoms, the odds ratio (OR) was calculated. Results: Children living in apartments with traces of mold had a higher risk of developing asthma (OR = 1.5, 95%CI: 1.17–1.96; p = 0.002) or bronchitis (OR = 1.4, 95%CI: 1.13–1.72; p = 0.002), wheezing attacks at nights (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.01–1.93), wheezy in the last 12 months (OR = 1.6; 95%CI:1.24–2.08; p < 0.001), and chronic cough (OR = 1.9; 95%CI: 1.49–2.46; p < 0.001). Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) was associated with higher risk of cough (OR = 1.5 95%CI: 1.22–1.96; p < 0.001) and dyspnea in the last 12 months (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.04–2.00; p = 0.02). Low socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with increased risk of chronic cough (OR = 1.5; 95%CI: 1.09–2.03; p = 0.009) and increased risk of wheezy in the last 12 months (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.06–1.97; p = 0.008). Asthma and bronchitis were not dependent on parents’ education or professional status. Conclusions: Social inequalities have significant impacts on the occurrence of respiratory symptoms, bronchitis, and asthma in children. Interventions aimed at preventing bronchitis and childhood asthma should also focus on social health determinants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequities and Interventions in Children's Health and Wellbeing)

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Reviewing Publicly Available Reports on Child Health Disparities in Indigenous and Remote Communities of Australia

and

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(11), 5959; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20115959 - 25 May 2023

Viewed by 509

Abstract

Developing programs that ensure a safe start to life for Indigenous children can lead to better health outcomes. To create effective strategies, governments must have accurate and up-to-date information. Accordingly, we reviewed the health disparities of Australian children in Indigenous and remote communities using publicly available reports. A thorough search was performed on Australian government and other organisational websites (including the Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW]), electronic databases [MEDLINE] and grey literature sites for articles, documents and project reports related to Indigenous child health outcomes. The study showed Indigenous dwellings had higher rates of crowding when compared to non-Indigenous dwellings. Smoking during pregnancy, teenage motherhood, low birth weight and infant and child mortality were higher among Indigenous and remote communities. Childhood obesity (including central obesity) and inadequate fruit consumption rates were also higher in Indigenous children, but Indigenous children from remote and very remote areas had a lower rate of obesity. Indigenous children performed better in physical activity compared to non-Indigenous children. No difference was observed in vegetable consumption rates, substance-use disorders or mental health conditions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. Future interventions for Indigenous children should focus on modifiable risk factors, including unhealthy housing, perinatal adverse health outcomes, childhood obesity, poor dietary intake, physical inactivity and sedentary behaviours. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequities and Interventions in Children's Health and Wellbeing)

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Patterns of Socioeconomic Inequities in SDGs Relating to Children’s Well-Being in Thailand and Policy Implications

Orratai Waleewong

and

Khanuengnij Yueayai

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13626; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013626 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 874

Abstract

Thailand faces many wealth inequities and child health-related problems. This study aimed to describe Thai child health and determine socioeconomic inequities following the child flourishing index, a tool used to measure children’s wellbeing based on the key relevant Sustainable Development Goals. The data from Thailand Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019 were used to examine five indicators where Thailand had not yet achieved good results. The association of socioeconomic status with the five outcomes was explored using logistic regressions, comparing pseudo R-squared, and population attributable fraction analyses. Household wealth, urbanization, education, and primary language were significantly associated with Thai child health. Over 10% of children under 5 years were stunted and had a low birth weight. Fourteen percent of teenage girls had already become mothers. Living in poor households and rural areas, having a head-of-household who was non-Thai speaking, non-Buddhist, and had a low education were identified as risk factors for children with undernutrition status and low birth weight. However, having a head-of-household who spoke a non-Thai language was a protective factor against teenage mothers and having early marriages. Households with better economic status and education provided significant benefits for children and women’s health. The result of this study calls for public policies and multisectoral actions in the wider social and economic spheres that address the social determinants that span across lives and generations. Furthermore, specific social protection programs should be designed to be accessible by these most vulnerable and disadvantaged people. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inequities and Interventions in Children's Health and Wellbeing)

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