Driving Precision Policy Responses to Child Health and Developmental Inequities

Sharon Goldfeld; Sarah Gray; Francisco Azpitarte; Dan Cloney; Fiona Mensah; Gerry Redmond; Katrina Williams; Sue Woolfenden; Meredith O'Connor

doi:10.1089/heq.2019.0045

Driving Precision Policy Responses to Child Health and Developmental Inequities

Health Equity. 2019 Sep 26;3(1):489-494. doi: 10.1089/heq.2019.0045. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Sharon Goldfeld^{1

2}, Sarah Gray¹, Francisco Azpitarte³, Dan Cloney^{1

4}, Fiona Mensah^{2

5}, Gerry Redmond⁶, Katrina Williams^{2

7

8}, Sue Woolfenden^{9

10}, Meredith O'Connor^{1

2

11}

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
² Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
³ School of Social Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
⁴ Australian Council for Educational Research, Melbourne, Australia.
⁵ Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
⁶ College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
⁷ Department of Neurodevelopment and Disability, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
⁸ Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
⁹ Department of Community Child Health, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, Australia.
¹⁰ Discipline of Paediatrics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
¹¹ ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Abstract

The growing evidence base on the extent of and opportunities to reduce inequities in children's health and development still lacks the specificity to inform clear policy decisions. A new phase of research is needed that builds on contemporary directions in precision medicine to develop precision policy making; with the aim to redress child inequities. This would include identifying effective interventions and their ideal time point(s), duration, and intensity to maximize impact. Drawing on existing data sources and innovations in epidemiology and biostatistics would be key. The economic and social gains that could be achieved from reducing child inequities are immense.

Keywords: child disadvantage; evidence base; inequities; precision policy.