International Network for Research on Inequalities in Child Health (INRICH)- effects of poverty and low income on children around the world - research, studies, social policies, health disparities and equity

The International Network for Research on Inequalities in Child Health (INRICH) was created in 2008 by a group of researchers interested in tackling the problem of health disparities among children. The researchers come from various field of studies ranging from medical doctors, social scientists and epidemiologists to economists. view members' profiles...

INRICH Vision

To become a valued & productive forum for active researchers in the field of child health inequalities;
To be a platform for knowledge synthesis and systematic reviews bringing together evidence related to child health inequalities, equity and policy;
To be a platform for collaborative studies among researchers from various field of studies;
To play an important role in knowledge transfer to policy makers.

INRICH mission statement : to advance knowledge and research into inequalities in child health and well-being, in child health equity and child policy by establishing a scientific community in which research priorities can be identified, collaborative projects established and new researchers encouraged and to inform policy that will promote child health equity.

INRICH future vision

We envisage that the network will become a valued and productive forum for active researchers in the field
Within 2 years, we will have identified the key researchers in this field and recruited the majority to the network
We envisage that the network will be a platform for knowledge synthesis and systematic reviews bringing together evidence related to child health inequalities, equity and policy
Within 2 years, we will have completed and published the systematic review
We envisage that the network will be a platform for collaborative studies
Within 2 years, we will have prepared and submitted at least one collaborative project in addition to the systematic review
We envisage that the network will play an important role in knowledge transfer to policy makers
To have made links with and started discussions with policy makers with a view to knowledge transfer

INRICH Research Priorities

We identified the following research priorities that can be conducted by members of our network:

1. Pathways and mechanisms

Cumulative and additive social risk exposures (e.g. transient v. persistent poverty);
Stress and allostatic load;
Social into the biological and epigenetic;
Intergenerational influences

2. Methodological issues

Methods for examining change over time including longitudinal effects studies
Need to define poverty
Need to study social gradients as well as poverty
Multi-level studies - Society, Family & Individual
Regional studies (within countries)
Which indicators?: for example, perception of health vs. objective measures of health (these may be more reliable in studying mechanisms)
Root cause analysis to inform policy change.

3. Interventions

Children’s rights & equity – research into effective use as tools to reduce child health inequalities Policy innovation
What works in reducing child health inequalities?

INRICH International Projects/Comparisons

We strongly encourage collaborative works that are conducted in a comparative basis within or between countries. The following is a list of non exhaustive potential topics of great interest to our members.

Societal and policy level influences – what kinds of societies promote child well-being and why?
Examples: role of wealth transfer; comparing social gradients in child health outcomes across countries; role of paid maternity leave; role of breastfeeding promotion; using LCHD framework to explore how policy in different countries impact on children’s developmental trajectories
Comparing social gradients in perinatal health indicators, in different countries. Risks differences versus risk ratios. (Nick & Anders to explore)
Policies and their relationship to health outcomes. Funding being applied for and would welcome collaborators to study data
Design study using standard measures in, for example, 2 neighborhoods in Montreal, 2 in Brazil, 2 in UK.
Studies based on current cohorts – comparative secondary analysis of outcomes and relationships with social phenomena (extension of Dr. Louise Seguin and Dr. Nicholas Spencer’s work using ELDEQ & UKMCS)
Studies on impact of current international situation: changes in economy, families moved into poverty, impact on children’s health and well-being
Studies of safety nets in different countries