Iron status, development, and behavior in young children in the Pennsylvania foster care system.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Children in foster care are classified as a highly vulnerable population and struggle with both physical and mental health problems. Medical conditions, like poor nutritional status, remain understudied in children in foster care. To our knowledge, few studies in children in U.S. foster care have quantified the prevalence of anemia, and no studies have examined the association between anemia status and relevant developmental and behavioral outcomes.

Objective/aims

(1) To determine the prevalence of anemia among children in or adopted from Pennsylvania foster care, between the ages of six months to ten years and (2) To examine if a child's anemia status is associated with greater odds of relevant developmental and behavioral diagnoses.

Methods

We conducted a

SUBMITTER: Arcot A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10434919 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature