Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

2 Children's Health: A New Conceptual Framework
Pages 28-44

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 28...
... However, those involved in popu ation hea th issues more broadly may want to consider the potentia applicability of the definition and conceptua model outduned in this report to adu ts. VIEWS ON CHILDREN AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH The roles of children have changed throughout human history and across different levels of socia organization.
From page 29...
... From a public policy perspective, this emerging view was crysta lized in the major socia changes that took place m the 19th and 20th centuries and was manifested in nationa policies for providing hea th care tn indigent populations, free and compulsory public education, mandatory immunizations that both protect individua children and provide group immunity against widespread epidemics of mfectious diseases, policies for protection of the welfare of chi dren, and the creation of the juvenile justice and child welfare systems (Katz, 1997; Cravens, 1993; Levine and Levine, 1992)
From page 30...
... At the turn of the 20th century, when infectious diseases posed the greatest threat to hea th, hea th was viewed as the absence of disease or injury. Disease causation was usua Iy described using simple cause mode s, epitomized by the germ theory (i.e., an infectious agent a one was responsible for disease)
From page 31...
... As multiple influences on hea th became better understood, the notion of hea th as a positive capacity and a prerequisite for a range of human accomplishment took root, e evating the importance of both disease prevention and hea th promotion (Breslow, 1999)
From page 32...
... Buildmg upon the abundant evidence that children's hea th has specia characteristics, the committee sought a comprehensive and integrative definition and conceptua ization of hea th that reflects the dynamic nature of childhood, is conceptually sound, is based on the best scientific evidence, and provides a basis for both measuring and improving chi dren's hea th. A recent collaborative effort of the 15 member states of the European Union Hea th Monitoring Programme came to a similar conclusion.
From page 33...
... The definition proposed echoes the principles deve oped at the Ottawa Charter in 1986 that embraced positive aspects of hea th and declared that to "reach a state of complete physics, menta and socia we l-being, an nndividua or group must be able to identify and rea ire aspirations, to satisfy needs, md to change or cope with the environment. Hea th is, therefore, seen as a resource for everyday if e, not the ah j active of iving.
From page 34...
... · Recognize that previous and current hea th status influence subsequent health. Given the extended time frames and latent effects of different exposures and changes in individua characteristics, some aspects of hea th may not be amenable to immediate accountabi ity md manipu ation.
From page 35...
... They me ude a wide range of specific as we I as nonspecific conditions and syndromes. Functioning The functioning domain reflects the direct and indirect effects of one or more hea th conditions and their treatments as well as problems resulting from mu tiple hea th problems on the daily life and activities of the child.
From page 36...
... . Given the profound developments growth that takes place over the life course of a chi d, these subdomains constantly change, which creates significant challenges for accurate measurement of psychologica deficits.
From page 37...
... Inc uded in this domann are positive developmenta assets and hea th capacities that provide and indicate ability to form positive relationships, regulate emotions and cognitive states, and respond to mu tiple challenges, mcludmg exposures to disease and psychologica and physica stress, among others While to some extent this might be looked on as the positive aspect of f unctioning, that is, the capacity to function in the face of threats to one's hea th, we have chosen to distmguish this domain as unique because of the inherent bias toward defining functioning only as norma or deficient. Few if any measures of firnctinnnng capture this more positive aspect of a person's assets and resources and of the characteristics that make them rest lent Other characteristics described as rest ience factors that fall within this domain include curiosity, responsiveness, reflection, imagination, self-efficacy, problem-solvmg ability, self-sufficiency, optimism, and disease resistance and recovery (Starfield et a ., 1993 )
From page 38...
... Health amd Development Development is important m the biologica and behaviors processes that determine hea th capacities, optimize function, preserve hea th, and lead to the presence or absence of disease throughout life. Cumulative experience, inherent adaptive capacities, dynamic interactions with physical, socia, and cu tura environments, md genetic predisposition a I interact to determine developments trajectories (Institute of Medicme, 2001b; Nationa Research Council and institute of Medicine, 2000; Hertzman, 2000; Ha fon and Hochstein, 2002)
From page 39...
... Hea th t n d h ea th in fluent e s interact through out chi dho o d. S ever a c on sideratinns relevant to chi dren's hea th are developments in nature: critica and sensitive periods in children's development, the importance of timing and multiple time frames, the age-specific patterns and distributions of children's hea th influences, the importance of transitions, and the long reach of childhood.
From page 40...
... Multiple Influences At any given ame, multiple present and past influences affect children's current health. Hea th resu ts from the interaction of genetics and children's environments.
From page 41...
... a so captures the dynamic interactions among these constantly changing and interacting contexts. Evidence from research on human development indicates that these multiple contexts broaden and deepen for individua s as they age, serving to channel and reinforce influences into developments pathways (Boyce et al., 1998; Dawson et al., 1994, 2000; Ha fon and Hochstein, 2002)
From page 42...
... The model i lustrates that the effect of influences will vary based on both time and stage of deve opment Since development is an uneven process, with periods of rapid growth and periods of re ative quiescence, it is not synonymous with time, nor is it the same from child to chi d, and the interaction of various influences changes with both time and .- chic opmenta stage. As children age, the kaleidoscope turns and the patterns change, reflecting their ch unsung hea th.
From page 43...
... The relative salience of different inRuencesa so variesbydeve opmenta stage. A though the figure shows each sphere to be of equa sire, the re at ye so es of the spheres are dynamic.
From page 44...
... 44 CHII DRE.~"S HEALTH, THE NAnONS BETA Measurement of Children's Health Additiona features are crucia for the measurement of chi dren'shea th to be useful from a policy perspective. In the committee's view, any approach to measurement shou d: · Contend with the relationships between hea th at one point an time and future prospects (hea th expectancy)


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.