David Berendes, PhD, a senior service fellow and epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, and colleagues examined survey data collected between 2010 and 2016 regarding family income and school absenteeism in children aged 5 to 17 years.
Respiratory illnesses were more common among children than gastrointestinal illness 2 weeks before responding to the survey (13% vs. 5%).
The researchers noted that similar trends were observed in children who lived below the federal poverty level.
Although required absenteeism could be an effective way to protect public health in schools, Berendes and colleagues wrote that many low-income parents might not have paid sick leave from work to care for their children, which would affect both the child’s ability to stay home and health-seeking behaviors. Instead, ongoing health promotion strategies, including increased awareness of hand-washing with soap to prevent infection, could reduce transmission of disease.
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