HEAD START
Head Start data are of particular interest because they reveal the far-reaching impact of a commitment to early childhood literacy, not only on academic and educational success but also on physical health and “health literacy.” An additional component of the impact of literacy on health falls under the category of "health literacy." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes "health literacy" as the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions” (2023, para 2.) In exploring the wider impact that literacy can have on health, it is important also to acknowledge the direct mechanism by which reading allows improves access to health care. That is, one cannot achieve sufficient health literacy without first acquiring the necessary literacy skills to build health-related knowledge. Participants in Head Start are also more likely to undergo hearing and vision screening (36.9% and 35.8%, respectively) and to be protected by child health insurance coverage at the end of the first grade than those children from similar backgrounds who did not complete Head Start programs (Anderson et al., 2010). Together, these outcomes provide a strong indicator of the benefits that can accrue when health care and education are integrated in the early childcare setting. Founded in 1965 to provide access to preschool education for low-income children, Head Start is uniquely poised to offer data and insights about the relationship between early literacy and health. Serving more than one million children and their families annually, Head Start provides comprehensive education, including information regarding health and nutrition, to “support early learning and development, health, and family well-being (Head Start Services, Para 1).” The impact of the program on educational achievement is undeniable. The Head Start Impact Study (HSIS), which focused on the cognitive and socioemotional outcomes of Head Start students, studied the long-term impact of Head Start, using data within families. Remarkably, compared to siblings who did not participate in Head Start, graduates of the program are more likely to complete high school (Bailey et al., 2021; Garces et al., 2002; Bauer & Schanzenbach, 2016). Head Start’s long-term benefits are not limited to educational success, but also reduce the likelihood of negative health outcomes (Lacey, 2023). Recent research concluded that Head Start participants are less likely than their peers to have chronic health conditions, including obesity, at ages 12 and 13 (Carneiro & Ginja, 2014). Additionally, researchers found that Head Start participants have lower rates of depression (Carneiro & Ginja, 2014) and obesity at ages 16 and 17, and have lower rates of smoking in young adulthood (Anderson et al., 2010).
READING FOR LIFE: THE IMPACT OF YOUTH LITERACY ON HEALTH OUTCOMES 5
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