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Can preschool improve child health outcomes? A systematic review

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  • D'Onise, Katina
  • Lynch, John W.
  • Sawyer, Michael G.
  • McDermott, Robyn A.

Abstract

Early childhood development interventions (ECDIs) have the potential to bring about wide ranging human capital benefits for children through to adulthood. Less is known, however, about the potential for such interventions to improve population health. The aim of this study was to examine the evidence for child health effects of centre-based preschool intervention programs for healthy 4Â year olds, beyond the preschool years. Medline, Embase, ERIC, Psych Info, Sociological Abstracts, the Cochrane Library, C2-SPECTR and the Head Start database were searched using terms relating to preschool and health from 1980 to July 2008, limited to English language publications. Reference lists and the journal Child Development were hand searched for eligible articles missed by the electronic search. There were 37 eligible studies identified. The reviewed studies examined a range of interventions from centre-based preschool alone, to interventions also including parenting programs and/or health services. The study populations were mostly sampled from populations at risk of school failure (76%). Only eight of the 37 studies had a strong methodological rating, 15 were evaluated as at moderate potential risk of bias and 14 as at high potential risk of bias. The review found generally null effects of preschool interventions across a range of health outcomes, however there was some evidence for obesity reduction, greater social competence, improved mental health and crime prevention. We conclude that the great potential for early childhood interventions to improve population health across a range of health outcomes, as anticipated by policy makers worldwide, currently rests on a rather flimsy evidence base. Given the potential and the increasingly large public investment in these interventions, it is imperative that population health researchers, practitioners and policy makers worldwide collaborate to advance this research agenda.

Suggested Citation

  • D'Onise, Katina & Lynch, John W. & Sawyer, Michael G. & McDermott, Robyn A., 2010. "Can preschool improve child health outcomes? A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(9), pages 1423-1440, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:70:y:2010:i:9:p:1423-1440
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alison Aughinbaugh, 2001. "Does Head Start Yield Long-Term Benefits?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 36(4), pages 641-665.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman & Rodrigo Pinto, 2016. "The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviour," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(596), pages 28-65, October.
    2. Douglas J. Besharov & Douglas M. Call & Jason M. Scott, 2020. "PROTOCOL: Early childhood education programs for improving the development and achievement of low‐income children: a systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(3), September.
    3. Mara Barschkett, 2022. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children's Health," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 2028, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Ren, Meiqing, 2024. "Preschool and child health: Evidence from China's universal child care reform," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    5. Lauber, Verena & Thomas, Lampert, 2014. "The Effect of Early Universal Daycare on Child Weight Problems," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100399, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Gabriella Conti & James J. Heckman & Rodrigo Pinto, 2016. "The Effects of Two Influential Early Childhood Interventions on Health and Healthy Behaviour," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(596), pages 28-65, October.
    7. Belfield, Clive R. & Kelly, Inas Rashad, 2013. "Early education and health outcomes of a 2001 U.S. Birth Cohort," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 310-325.
    8. Hong, Kai & Dragan, Kacie & Glied, Sherry, 2019. "Seeing and hearing: The impacts of New York City’s universal pre-kindergarten program on the health of low-income children," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 93-107.
    9. Mara Barschkett, 2022. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children’s Health," Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers 0005, Berlin School of Economics.
    10. Barschkett, Mara, 2023. "Age-specific Effects of Early Daycare on Children's Health," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277588, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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