Citation

Houtrow AJ, Jarvis JM, Fink E. J. Pediatr. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113586

PMID

37385336

Abstract

All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their optimal health, which includes the right to health care services to facilitate recovery after injury. However, it is clear from the research synthesized and presented by Garg et al in this issue of The Journal of Pediatrics that certain children not only are at increased risk for injury, but also have inequitable access to health care services, such as rehabilitation services, and are more likely to receive suboptimal care. In "Social determinants of health in pediatric rehabilitation for children with traumatic injuries: A systematic review," Garg et al detail how social determinants of health (the conditions in which people are born into, grow up, learn, play, work, and live), which drive much of the incidence of traumatic injury, negatively influence rehabilitation access and management of traumatic injuries. When the social, political, economic, and environmental conditions in which children live negatively and differentially impact certain groups of children, we consider them to be sources of health disparities (avoidable health differences). Achieving health equity (the fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible) requires addressing the social determinants that drive health disparities (ie, the higher burden of traumatic injuries among socially disadvantaged and oppressed groups of children). It is clear from the research of Garg et al that there is much work to be done to reduce the risk of childhood traumatic injuries in the first place and to equitably optimize rehabilitation after injures occur.

Language: en