BACKGROUND

Community Pediatrics: Navigating the Intersection of Medicine, Public Health, and Social Determinants of Child Health

This statement defines community pediatrics, emphasizes the importance of social determinants of health, and promotes partnerships with public health to improve population child health. (Pediatrics Vol. 131 No. 3 March 1, 2013 )

Resources are available to help pediatricians implement many of the policy statement recommendations.

Using Community Health Data and Recognizing Social Determinants of Health

• The County Health Rankings use a variety of data sources to show how every county in the United States ranks on a variety of health outcomes and associated issues including clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment.

Partnering with Public Health and Related Professions

• Integrating Primary Care and Public Health provides strategies for the primary care and public health sectors to partner.
• The National Center for Medical-Legal Partnerships promotes partnerships between health care and legal professionals to address social and economic problems that impact health.  

Promoting Preventive Health in Practice and Communities

• The AAP's Bright Futures Guidelines include tools and strategies for health promotion and disease prevention in practice.
• Trust For America's Health offers resources and opportunities to promote prevention in communities and protect public health.

Engaging in Advocacy

• The AAP's State and Federal Advocacy efforts support access to health care in a medical home.
• The AAP's Community Level Advocacy efforts promote programs and policies beyond the clinical setting, to address environmental and social determinants of health.

Supporting Public Health in Pediatric Medical Education

• The Pediatric Public Health Residency Curriculum helps pediatric program directors include population based education in curricula.

LEAD AUTHORS

• Peter Gorski, MD, MPA and Alice Kuo, MD, PhD authored the statement as members of the COCP Executive Committee.
• View AAP News article with the authors
• View COCP Interview with the authors.