An equity lens for identifying and addressing social needs within pediatric value-based care

Socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes have proven to be persistent in the United States. For example, the mortality rate for Black infants is twice as high as it is for white infants, and low-income children are more likely to experience developmental delays as compared with their peers.Emerging data reveal striking racial and socioeconomic inequities in coronavirus disease 2019 outcomes. Healthy People, the national framework for population health, has identified reduction of health disparities and achievement of health equity as crucial goals. However, despite substantial investments, the nation is no closer to achieving these key societal aims, with alarming evidence of widening health disparities in recent years.