title: Can universal pre-kindergarten programs improve population health and longevity? Mechanisms, evidence, and policy implications.
abstract: Recent research has found that children who attended pre-kindergarten programs in childhood were more likely to be healthy as adults. One intuitive way of improving population health and longevity may therefore be to invest in pre-kindergarten programs. However, much of the research linking pre-kindergarten programs to health is very recent and has not been synthesized. In this paper, I review the mechanisms linking pre-kindergarten programs in childhood to adult longevity, and the experimental evidence backing up these linkages. I conclude with a critical exploration of whether investments in pre-kindergarten programs could also serve as investments in public health.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, 600 W. 168th St., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10032, United States. Electronic address: pm124@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muennig
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004493:Education / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Educational attainment and health; Health policy; Socioeconomic disparities and health