This CDC report examines chronic school absenteeism for health-related reasons among children aged 5–17 in the United States, using data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey. It found that 5.8% of children experienced chronic school absenteeism because of illness, injury or disability during the previous 12 months. The report also found significant differences according to health and socioeconomic circumstances. Children with disabilities were particularly affected, with 14.8% experiencing chronic health-related absenteeism compared with 4.4% of children without disabilities. Children from lower-income families were also more likely to experience chronic absenteeism.

The report highlights health-related absence as an important part of the broader school attendance picture. It notes that chronic absenteeism is associated with poorer academic performance and school engagement and can increase the risk of leaving school early. The findings reinforce the need to recognise illness, injury and disability as significant reasons why students may be absent from school, rather than treating all absence as a matter of attendance behaviour.

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