O3282: Health-related and Social Drivers of Chronic Absenteeism in an Urban School District

Background: More than one in four American children is chronically absent from school, double pre-pandemic rates. Prior work has shown that chronic absenteeism is associated with adverse academic, health, and social outcomes. The purpose of this study was to characterize health-related and social barriers contributing to chronic absenteeism in an urban public school district.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional mixed-methods study in collaboration with a northeastern U.S. urban school district, utilizing a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach. We analyzed secondary data from in-person (at-home), telephone, or video surveys administered by school district representatives to caregivers of students identified as chronically absent in the district’s attendance platform from December 2022-June 2023. Quantitative data, including grade level and primary reasons for absenteeism, were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative summative content analysis was applied to transcribed responses to open-ended questions.

Results: The sample included 5,223 first-time survey records, each representing one student. Health-related barriers accounted for 71% of reported reasons for absenteeism, while social barriers accounted for 18%. Common health-related reasons included acute illness (34%), chronic disease (4%), and mental/behavioral health needs (3%). Social barriers included family-related challenges (6%), transportation difficulties (7%), and housing or financial instability (1%). Nearly 10% of families reported both health and social barriers.

Conclusion: Health-related and social barriers were commonly reported reasons for chronic absenteeism in an urban school district. Pediatric health systems may play a critical role in supporting post-pandemic recovery efforts across academic, health, and social domains.