Early Childhood Education to Promote Health Equity: A Community Guide Economic Review
CDC STACKS serves as an archival repository of CDC-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other public health information authored or co-authored by CDC or funded partners. As a repository, CDC STACKS retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.
i

Early Childhood Education to Promote Health Equity: A Community Guide Economic Review

Filetype[PDF-331.95 KB]


English

Details:

  • Alternative Title:
    J Public Health Manag Pract
  • Personal Author:
  • Description:
    Context:

    A previous Community Guide systematic review found that early childhood education (ECE) programs improve educational, social, and health-related outcomes and advance health equity because many are designed to increase enrollment for high-risk students. This follow-up economic review examines how the economic benefits of center-based ECE programs compare with their costs.

    Evidence Acquisition:

    Kay and Pennucci from the Washington Institute for Public Policy, whose meta-analysis formed the basis of the Community Guide effectiveness review, conducted a benefit–cost analysis of ECE programs for low-income children in Washington State. We performed an electronic database search using both effectiveness and economic key words to identify additional cost-benefit studies published through May 2015. Kay and Pennucci also provided us with national-level benefit-cost estimates for state and district and federal Head Start programs.

    Evidence Synthesis:

    The median benefit-to-cost ratio from 11 estimates of earnings gains, the major benefit driver for three types of ECE programs (i.e., state and district, federal Head Start, and model programs), was 3.39:1 (interquartile interval [IQI]: 2.48 to 4.39). The overall median benefit-to-cost ratio from seven estimates of total benefits, based on additional components besides earnings gains, was 4.19:1 (IQI: 2.62 to 8.60) indicating that for every dollar invested in the program, there was a return of $4.19 in total benefits.

    Conclusions:

    ECE programs promote both equity and economic efficiency. Evidence indicates there is positive social return on investment in ECE irrespective of the type of ECE program.

  • Subjects:
  • Source:
  • Pubmed ID:
    28257407
  • Pubmed Central ID:
    PMC6172656
  • Document Type:
  • Funding:
  • Volume:
    24
  • Issue:
    1
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:

Supporting Files

More +

You May Also Like

Checkout today's featured content at stacks.cdc.gov