Implications of Poverty for Practices Serving Suburban Families.

, number 6 , December 2016 :e 20162548 The adverse effects of poverty on health have been well documented. In response, pediatric clinicians have become increasingly focused on mitigating these effects on children’s health. 1 In March 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released the first-ever policy statement on poverty, calling for pediatricians to screen and address poverty and related social determinants of health (SDH). 1 Recent research has developed an evidence base for strategies to address SDH in urban practices. 2, 3 Notably, poverty has grown by 66% in suburban communities over the past decade, double the rate in cities.4 However, comparatively little information is available for pediatricians on how to address poverty in the suburbs, where almost half of US pediatricians practice and where differences in infrastructure and resources may limit the generalizability of strategies successfully implemented in urban practices. 5 This Perspective addresses barriers to and opportunities for pediatricians to better support suburban poor families.