Abstract
This study is a part of a joint research project between The Royal College of Paediatricians of Thailand,
Department of Health, and Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP),
entitled. The development of health promotion and disease prevention policies for children aged 0-5 years
in Thailand. This study aims to review health promotion and disease prevention policies for children aged 0-5 years in the USA. A scope of the review on the US child health promotion and disease prevention (PP)
policies include; preconception care, teen pregnancy prevention, newborn metabolic screening, quality of
day care, child maltreatment prevention, development and Autism screening, breastfeeding promotion,
obesity prevention, immunizations, newborn hearing screening, vision screening, preventive oral health,
and injury prevention. These are in-line with prioritised child health related problems in Thailand. Results
from this study will be useful for providing knowledge and lesson learned of available policies and
interventions in the USA that can potentially be adopted for the Thai PP policies.
Preventive health care for children aged 0-5 years in the USA is recommended by the AAP and there
are several interesting programs initiated by the federal government. The US Department of Health and
Human Resources and CDC play an important role in supporting evidence-based recommendations and
data monitoring for the nation. The major barrier to getting access to health care is the lack of health
insurance. However, with the health reform and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more US
people especially children can afford health insurance and gain more access to preventive health care.
