Providing context for a unique population: The lived experience of military-connected children

Abstract: Military-connected children are an important subset of the pediatric population who experience both advantages and challenges that influence their overall health and well-being. All military family members qualify for TRICARE, the military health care program. Within TRICARE, military children can receive care through the Military Health System (MHS) or the civilian sector, depending on the availability of resources and specialists in their location. Although military children have guaranteed health care benefits, there are significant barriers that may impede ideal wellness outcomes. In this issue of Pediatrics, Romano et al present their findings on routine vaccine series completion rates and timeliness among children treated within the MHS.1 Between 2010 and 2019, 74.4% of TRICARE-insured military children from birth through 24 months of age completed the recommended, routine 7-vaccine series.1 Over one-third of the children who had completed the recommended vaccine series experienced some delays in the timing of...

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