Much has been researched and written about the “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.” With a twist, the phrase could be tweaked to say, “The rich are getting healthier and the poor are becoming poorer in health.” Research is clear about the effects of poverty on current and future health as well as the impact on social mobility. The effects are evident even before the birth of a child. The following are some of the highlights of research on the effects of poverty on social mobility.

• Children from low-income families are more likely than other children to have serious health problems.
• Income-related disparities in childhood health are evident before and after birth.
• Poor children have more severe health problems than wealthier children.
• Poor children with severe health problems fare less well than wealthier children.
• Poor children receive poorer quality healthcare.
• Children in poor health are more likely to have poor health as adults.
• Health in childhood is a determinant of educational attainment.
• Health in childhood is a determinant of an adult’s employment opportunities and wages.
• Poor health as adults adversely affects their economic status.

This is a public policy issue, given the above facts. Simply increasing access to health care is not sufficient to improve children’s health. Policies concerning improving the quality of health care and strengthening the ability of parents to manage their children’s health problems are needed to increase vertical mobility for the poor.