HOUSEHOLD POVERTY AND ADOLESCENT SOCIAL COMPETENCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Poverty remains a pervasive global challenge and a critical public health concern due to its far-reaching effects on health outcomes and human development. This study presents a systematic review of 13 peer-reviewed articles to examine the multidimensional nature of household poverty and its implications for population health. Guided by established systematic review protocols, relevant studies were identified, screened, and synthesized to explore how material and financial deprivation influence access to essential resources such as healthcare, nutrition, housing, and education. The findings reveal that poverty operates through interconnected pathways, including limited access to health services, increased exposure to environmental and social risks, and heightened psychosocial stress, all of which contribute to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Additionally, the review highlights how poverty reinforces health inequities and perpetuates cycles of vulnerability across generations. The study underscores the importance of addressing poverty within a public health framework and aligns its findings with global development priorities, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It concludes that reducing household poverty requires integrated, multisectoral interventions that target both economic and social determinants of health to achieve sustainable improvements in well-being.