Share Your Win: Whitney Wells to Examine Parenthood and Cardiovascular Risks

I have been awarded an F31 fellowship: “Evaluating the effects of preschool access policies on parents’ cardiovascular health and health inequities: a quasi-experimental population-based investigation.” My research examines the relationship between parenthood and cardiovascular risk factors and how family support policies influence parents’ health. This project evaluates the potential for state-funded preschool to support parents’ cardiovascular health by alleviating financial and time pressures of childcare and enabling participation in healthy behaviors. I am using quasi-experimental methods by linking geographic and temporal variation in state-funded preschool and co-occurring policies to the National Health Interview Survey.

Why does this work matter right now?

For the nearly 30 million parents of young children in the US, the demands of parenthood can increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The US has the highest childcare costs relative to parents’ wages in the world and one of the lowest preschool attendance rates among high-income countries. The financial and time pressures of childcare can increase stress and prevent parents from participating in physical activity, accessing healthy foods, and getting enough sleep–especially for parents with fewer resources. To support young families, some states have enacted policies to provide state-funded preschool to 3- and 4-year-old children. At a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, it is critical to examine the impact of family support policies, to inform evidence-based policymaking that supports the health of parents and children in the US.

Funder: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH