I am director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. I have spent 30 years directing research on human and organizational communication to reduce chronic disease, cancer, and obesity health disparities affecting Latinos.
This is part of the Salud America! The State of Latino Early Childhood Development: A Research Review » Growing up feeling safe, secure, and loved is essential for the healthy development of all children.14 Nationally, over 46% of U.S. youth—34 million children under age 18—have had at least one ACE, and more than 20% have had at least two.15 By age 6, 70% of children in a sample of families investigated for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have ACEs that may have negative effects on many aspects of their developmental.8,9,16,17 ACEs may include parental domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, criminal justice involvement, child abuse and/or neglect, poverty/homelessness, and parental death, among others.18 Multiple studies have shown that children ...
This is part of the Salud America! The State of Latino Early Childhood Development: A Research Review »
Introduction
Childhood development is a dynamic, interactive process that is not predetermined by genetics, but is hindered by lack of proper care, services, and support. Proper childhood development is critical because 90 percent of brain development occurs by age 5. Latino childhood development is particularly important because Latinos make up 26 percent of US children younger than 5. The Latino population is one of the fastest-growing U.S. demographics, yet 12 million Latinos live below the poverty level.1–3 As such, many Latino children are at risk of not receiving the care and services they need during their formative years, which may have negative effects on their early ...
Abstract
Many Latino families suffer a big lack of access to support for economic and educational success, and quality healthcare. This makes it harder for Latino kids to achieve academically, socially, and physically. Fortunately, there is reason for hope. Research shows that providing whole-family programs and policies that benefit parents and children can create supportive environments for Latinos. Leaders also can promote availability of and access to early care and education programs. They can enhance access to healthcare and services, and programs and policies to reduce time in poverty. They can turn schools into resource hubs to support Latino children and parents. Read the News Release (PDF)
Read the Issue Brief (PDF)
Explore "Family Support" success stories and ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Kids Do Better with Parents Active in Their Education
Whether we are discussing infant care, preschool, grade school, or high school in the United States, students whose parents are actively engaged in their education fare better academically, socially, and economically.62–67 Active parent participation and interest in a child’s education promotes internalization of specific social and academic goals, and makes education a priority for the student and for the family. In fact, parental engagement has been used to explain some of the heterogeneity in educational outcomes for children from low-income Latino communities, such that greater parental involvement results in better academic and behavioral ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
The Benefits of Medical Homes
What can be done to make medical offices more accessible and comfortable for low-income Latino individuals? Recent research has introduced the concept of patient-centered “medical homes” as a model of high-quality primary care that can eliminate disparities.8 Defined by key structural practice features, the medical home provides “enhanced access for routine primary care, improved delivery of preventive services, high-quality chronic disease management, and reduced emergency department and hospital utilization.”120 While still in the early stages of broad application and assessment, the theory behind the medical home model is appealing for application in ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Language as a Predictor of Use of Health Services
Cultural beliefs regarding mental illness are not the only barriers to use of health services. Language is an important predictor of use of mental health services, and the effectiveness of treatment for Latino individuals.19 In the particularly sensitive fields of psychology and psychiatry, a lack of bilingual and bicultural providers severely affects service uptake and outcomes. The problem of language in mental health care has two sides: first, use of interpreters or non-fluent providers can result in literal misunderstandings and loss of nuanced understanding of emotions and reactions; second, lack of genuine understanding of the patient’s ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Latino Kids Less Likely to Use ECE Programs
The use of ECE facilities—including child care centers, day care homes, Head Start programs, preschool and pre-kindergarten programs—has become the norm in the U.S.38 About 61% of children younger than 6 are in a non-parental care arrangement on a weekly basis.38 In 2012, children from higher-income families tended to enroll more in ECE centers (72%) than children from low-income families (45%), 2016 data show.1 In addition, far fewer Latino children (52%) were enrolled in ECE centers than their white (63%), black (68%), and Asian peers (68%).1,39
ECE Programs Stimulate Cognitive Health Benefits
However, recent research has demonstrated that early ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
The Concept of Schools as Health Centers
Development of school-based health centers (SBHCs) that provide comprehensive care for students, and sometimes their families, has provided a solution for another important barrier to preventive and whole-self health care: access.21,116,127 Maintaining regular well visits and acute care without missing school or work is a challenge in low-income communities, making health care impossible for some students and families.127 The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that a “medical home” is the ideal form of health care delivery for children and adolescents, and SBHCs strive to meet the AAP definition of a medical home: a system of care that is ...
This is part of our Building Support for Latino Families: A Research Review »
Latinos Kids Face a Big Gap in Early Cognitive Development
The socioeconomic gap in academic performance has been demonstrated repeatedly, with children from low-income households exhibiting deficits in school readiness and social development upon entering kindergarten. Several studies have shown that early educational gaps are maintained, and can even grow, for children from high-risk communities.12,15,23–26 Risk factors including poverty, low parental education, limited English proficiency, and single-parent homes, many of which are disproportionately present in Latino communities, put Latino children at a disadvantage for cognitive development relative to their non-Hispanic peers.27–30 In ...
