Connecticut Post, April 30, 2008: State’s low-income children fare poorly
AMANDA CUDA
Article Last Updated: 04/30/2008 12:07:30 AM EDT
Children from the state’s low-income families are at least twice as likely to suffer from health problems and other issues as their wealthier peers, according to a study released Tuesday by the research-focused advocacy organization Connecticut Voices for Children.
The report, based on data from the national research organization Child Trends, compared the well-being of children living in low-income families to those living in high-income families between 2002 and 2004. It compared the two groups in 30 different categories and, in 27 of them, the low-income children did markedly worse.
For instance, lower income children were at least twice as likely to have health problems, be overweight, have asthma and be at risk for developmental delays. This just emphasizes the huge economic disparity in Connecticut, said Priscilla Canny, Connecticut Voices managing director, and the study’s co-author.
Though Connecticut is generally considered a wealthy state, and often ranks high overall in studies measuring child well-being, one in four children in the state live in families with incomes under the federal poverty level.
It’s a phenomenon that many call the “two Connecticuts” and, though most people are aware of it, there had previously been little data showing how strong the discrepancy is, Canny said. The Voices study demonstrates the impact the economic gap has on children’s well-being.
“In practically every case, low-income children aren’t doing as well as high-income
children,” she said.
For example, 22 percent of low-income children were reported as being “in less than very good health,” compared with only 8 percent of high-income kids. Behavioral and emotional problems were also much more common among low-income children, with 21 percent of them experiencing such issues. That’s more than triple the number of high-income kids with emotional problems.
Of course, not everyone knows about the plight of poorer children, because the general consensus is that the state’s children are doing well. For instance, earlier this year a nonprofit organization, the Every Child Matters Education Fund, released a report ranking states from best to worst, based on their conditions for children. Connecticut was ranked as the third best.
“That’s when you average everyone together,” Canny said. “And yes, a lot of our kids are doing well. But let’s not overlook this 25 percent that live in low-income families.”
There are a number of possible reasons why poorer children have more health and wellness issues, Canny said poor access to health care, parents who aren’t properly educated on health topics, and poor housing conditions, to name a few.
“It can be something as simple as it’s relatively easy in the suburbs to get to a market that sells fresh fruits and vegetables, whereas, an inner-city mother might have to take two buses to get there,” she said.
A major problem is that many low-income parents don’t know what services they’re entitled to, said study co-author and Voices policy fellow Taby Ali. The study shows that 29,000 Connecticut children under age 19 were uninsured in 2006. Ali said many of them were eligible for HUSKY, the state program that provides free or low-cost health insurance for poorer families.
Canny said there are a number of state policies that could help low-income children, but “unfortunately, we’re in tough budget times,” she said, adding that policies affecting children are often the first to go.
Meanwhile, health professionals agreed that economic conditions could play a big role in children’s well-being. “Obviously, it’s a factor,” said Dr. Frank Scifo, director of primary care development at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport.
Scifo said there are a number of reasons why poorer children don’t fare as well, but one of the biggest is that they are less likely to come in for regular checkups. “You’re not getting a lot of regular screenings where you’ll pick up on problems,” he said.