The increase of childhood chronic conditions in the United States.

摘要

The number of US children receiving SSI has more than tripled in 20 years (from 275 000 in 1986 to >1 million in 2005), although much of this growth reflects major changes inSSI eligibility standards in the early 1990s.3 Among children receiving SSI, approximately 20% have mental retardation, 46% have other mental conditions, and 34% have various physical conditions.3 In 1960, only 1.8% of US children and adolescents were noted by their parents to have a limitation of activity due to a health condition of more than 3 months' duration4; in 2004, these rates had increased to more than 7% or more than 5 million children and youth.