Addressing Child Health Equity Through Clinical Decision-Making

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust a spotlight on the reality that pediatricians have long understood: Children from disadvantaged groups, including children of color and those living in poverty, experience worse health outcomes relative to their more privileged peers.^1–3  This is the very definition of health inequity.⁴  Health inequity is largely attributed to differences in a child’s psychosocial, physical, and economic environments or to social determinants. However, these differences and subsequent health inequities are not chance events, but are deeply rooted in societal and health care structures characterized by systemic racism.⁵  Health systems have a substantial impact on health equity, largely through access to services, clinicians’ decisions, and quality of care.⁶  Decision support tools based on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) can reduce cognitive load for clinicians, standardize care, and improve outcomes.⁷  When we consider equity and implementation principles from the outset, CPGs can reduce...