ABSTRACT
In any study of child well-being, health is a necessary and major component. The acute and chronic medical conditions of children are important, as are accidental injuries and other injuries resulting from neglect or abuse. In addition, measures of health status, medical care access and utilization, and the health environments in which children live are all important for understanding the diverse health situations of children with medical conditions and for differentiating the ways in which appropriate preventive and well-child care are being provided to U.S. children and youth. In this sense, measures of child health are indicators of health outcomes that assess the well-being of children. However, these indicators of health are also important for understanding the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development of children, in so far as health conditions may limit children in their developmental trajectories.
