The Effects Of Poverty On Children's Health

Words: 900
Pages: 4
Open Document
Children are the poorest segment of society. 22 percent of U.S. children live below the federal poverty level, a prevalence that has persisted since the 1970s. The effects of poverty on children’s health and well-being are well-documented. Poor children have increased infant mortality. They also have more frequent and severe chronic diseases such as asthma; poorer nutrition and growth; less access to quality health care; lower immunization rates; and increased obesity and its complications.
There’s a long list of reasons why poor Americans tend to be in poorer health than the better to do. For instance, low-income people don’t usually live near hospitals and primary care doctors. Also, many can’t afford expensive treatments, often because …show more content…
Poverty also cuts off vital resources to the poor and places them in an environment of ongoing stress and that has long-lasting effects on Americans’ general wellness that can be difficult to reverse. There’s lots of ways that poverty negatively affects Americans’ health over the long term. Poverty prevents Americans from buying healthy food. This is one of the biggest contributors to poor health in low-income communities. Many of the poor, including those who rely on food stamps, have to patronize bodegas or mini-marts that sell salty snacks and the kinds of processed foods that cause hypertension, obesity, and diabetes in lieu of fresh produce. According to an Economic Research Service (ERS) report for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 11.5 million Americans are both poor and live in low-income areas over a mile away from a supermarket that offers healthier food variety. On average, food stamp beneficiaries live about 1.8 miles away from a grocery store. Without a vehicle or public transportation to help these Americans get to the market and carry their groceries back home, many go for high-calorie and unhealthy food instead. So it isn’t surprising that regions where poor people can’t get to supermarkets also have higher recorded rates of obesity and diabetes. These are very interesting …show more content…
Research shows that smokers tend to be lower-income and less educated Americans. But a new study from Duke Medicine suggests that isn’t a coincidence, and that those who grow up in poverty may actually be predisposed to picking up the unhealthy habit. That’s a consequence of economic stresses that inhibit Americans’ ability to self-regulate healthy behaviors. “Poverty during childhood not only appears to affect child development, but can have lasting effects on the types of health choices made during adolescence and early adulthood, especially as it relates to cigarette smoking,” wrote lead author Dr. Bernard Fuemmeler, an associate professor in Community and Family Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. “Economic strains may shape an individual’s capacity for self-control by diminishing opportunities for self-regulation, or affecting important brain structures.” The poor live in regions with worse air quality. The American Lung Association reports that low-income and minority Americans live in areas with worse air quality. There isn’t a single
Show More

Related Documents: The Effects Of Poverty On Children's Health

The Effects of Child Poverty on Their Cognitive and Social Development Essay

The Effects of Poverty on Children’s Cognitive and Social Development PSYC318 Sheehan Gilbert-Burne 6136739 Word Count: 1650 Question 2: Discuss the effects of poverty on children’s cognitive and social development and the extent to which effects might extend into adulthood Poverty is a global issue that has been at the forefront of economic debate for over a century. Left wing politicians and anti-poverty organisations around the world still adamantly fight for a…

Words 1689 - Pages 7

Effects Of Poverty On Children Essay

Communication 700b The Effects of Poverty on Children Poverty has always been the most concerning global issues for ages. According to UNICEF, one billion children worldwide are living in poverty, it means one in two children is; twenty two thousand children die each day because of poverty. The World Food Program has stated that “[t]he poor are hungry and their hunger traps them in poverty.” This has severely impacted children. What is the definition of poverty? Basically, poverty means people do not…

Words 1039 - Pages 5

Child Poverty

explores the negative effects of poverty on children and adolescent well-being around the United States and abroad, it will also explores some of the main issues surrounding child poverty. Poverty has been shown to dramatically influence child's health and development along with a number of other factors in a child's life. Poverty in children is issue that is all across the world. About half of the worlds children are poverty stricken. Child poverty is connected to the level of poverty that is experienced…

Words 1022 - Pages 5

child poverty Essay

This essay will critically discuss the current policies to promote the health and well-being need s of child in poverty and show the extent to which the policies meet their needs. Before that, the essay will define health and wellbeing in other to show the importance of health and well-being to children. World Health Organisation (1946) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well‐being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity And HM Government (2010) referred…

Words 2497 - Pages 10

Childhood Poverty Research Paper

Childhood Poverty Emily Hathaway Mount West Community and Technical College Psych 211: Child Development Professor Sean Hughes April 21, 2024 Abstract This paper delves into the effects of poverty on children's development from prenatal stages to adolescence. Poverty causes various stress factors for pregnant women, such as malnourishment, lack of healthcare, and domestic violence, which can affect prenatal development. Infants born in impoverished environments may suffer from malnutrition…

Words 1665 - Pages 7

parenting style social mobility tcm8 20 Essay

with children’s early achievements and wellbeing. Hence interventions to improve the quality of home and family life can increase social mobility. •  here are no significant detrimental effects on a child’s T social or emotional development if their mothers work during their early years. The ideal scenario for children, both boys and girls, is where both parents live in the home and both are in paid employment. •  arenting is an important mediator in redressing the P effects of poverty and…

Words 3576 - Pages 15

ESSAY 1

to help reduce this issue. It will explore Child Poverty in New Zealand, how the capitalism government system has an effect on this and what I think can be done to help. Children who live in poverty are deprived from material resources and income, which is required for them to develop (Expert Advisory Group , 2012). In 1892 child poverty was sitting at 14% (Botur, 2014)Since then it has almost doubled to 24%, according to the 2014 Child Poverty Monitor report (2014). This means that 260,000 New…

Words 1025 - Pages 5

Human Biology for A2 Level (Paperback)

Health Consequences of Poverty for Children Contents Introduction Poverty and Maternal Health Poverty, Birthweight and Perinatal Health Poverty and Mortality in Infancy and Childhood Poverty, Disability and Physical Health Poverty and the Mental Health of Children and Young People Poverty and Health-Related Behaviour in Childhood and Adolescence Poverty, Educational Attainment and Children’s Health Conclusion References 2 3 4 6 8 10 12 14 15 16 By Professor Nick Spencer published…

Words 7944 - Pages 32

Poverty and New Partner Essay

environmental factors both in positive and negative ways. Because children are so vulnerable, they can be easily affected by things other people take for granted. Development can be influenced by many factors but the most common are background, health and environment. Background There are different things that can affect a child’s development in their background for example a family brake up, a parent’s new partner or bereavement. A family brake up can be really stressful for a child and may…

Words 975 - Pages 4

Child Poverty In Canada

every five children live in poverty in Canada (global news, 2013). This means an appalling 1,334,930 Canadian children are living in poverty today. It has been nearly 26 years since the Campaign 200 was released, this campaign was supposed to address the issue of child poverty and partner with different organization across the country to put a stop to it. But still 26 years later the problem is still at hand and the devastating truth is that more children are living in poverty then when the campaign was…

Words 2011 - Pages 9