Population-Level Data on Child Development at School Entry Reflecting Social Determinants of Health: A Narrative Review of Studies Using the Early Development Instrument

Magdalena Janus, Caroline Reid-Westoby, Noam Raiter, Barry Forer and Martin Guhn
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Magdalena Janus: Offord Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
Caroline Reid-Westoby: Offord Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
Noam Raiter: Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8P 1H6, Canada
Barry Forer: Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
Martin Guhn: Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: Background: The Early Development Instrument (EDI) was developed as a population-level assessment of children’s developmental health at school entry. EDI data collection has created unprecedented opportunities for population-level studies on children’s developmental outcomes. The goal of this narrative review was to synthesize research using the EDI to describe how it contributes to expanding the understanding of the impacts of social determinants on child development and how it applies to special populations. Methods: Select studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals between 2015 and 2020 and incorporating the social determinants of health perspectives were chosen to highlight the capability of the EDI to monitor children’s developmental health and contribute knowledge in the area of early childhood development. Results: A number of studies have examined the association between several social determinants of health and children’s developmental outcomes, including hard-to-reach and low-frequency populations of children. The EDI has also been used to evaluate programs and interventions in different countries. Conclusions: The ability of the EDI to monitor children’s developmental outcomes in various populations has been consistently demonstrated. The EDI, by virtue of its comprehensive breadth and census-like collection, widens the scope of research relating to early childhood development and its social determinants of health.

Keywords: Early Development Instrument; developmental health; social determinants of health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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