Long Term Effect of Poverty on Child Development

Poverty is an important social determinant of health and contributes to child health disparities. Children who experience poverty, particularly during early life or for an extended period, are at risk of a host of adverse health and developmental outcomes throughout their life course (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997). Poverty has a profound effect on specific circumstances, such as birth weight, infant mortality, chronic illness, and environmental exposure. Children living in poverty are at increased risk of inattention, impulsivity, defiance, and poor peer relationships (Boyle, 2011). Poverty and other adverse social determinants have a detrimental effect on child health and are the root causes of child health inequity in the United States