How health varies among Island children

P.E.I.'s first-ever children's report found health inequity among Island children, with those fromfamilies with low income, higher rates of unemploymentand fewer supports having more risk factors and poorer health outcomes than children living in families with greater privilege.

The report also found gender disparities in health, with male children having a higher nutrition risk, lower rates of fruit and vegetable consumption, and higher rates of tobacco smoking, heavy drinking and cannabis use. They also have higher than average rates ofasthma, mental illness and injury-related hospitalizations, while female children have lower rates of physical activity.

The report, titled, Children's Report 2017: Investing in our Future, was released by the chief public health officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, and indicatesthat certain risk factors and health outcomes for Island children follow the same pattern as the general population, as reported in the 2016 report Health for All Islanders.

"The findings of this report show that children with the greatest economic and social needs consistently have greater risk factors and worse health outcomes," Morrison said in a news release. "Island children with the greatest material and social needs have higher than P.E.I. average rates of nutrition risk and food insecurity, obesity, asthma and mental illness."

There were two main calls to action from the report:

1. For individuals, community groups, and all levels of government to address health inequity by redistributing societal resources to improve the social determinants of health, particularly for disadvantaged groups; and

2. For improved surveillance and responsive environments since the ability to collect and share meaningful data is essential for making decisions that will support children now and in the future.

The report can be found in full on the government's website.

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