In March 2011, The New Yorker magazine reported on the work of Dr. Nadine Burke, who studies the physical effects of anxiety.  The rapidly evolving sciences of stress physiology and neuroendocrinology suggest that the anxiety of a difficult life may cause significant and long-lasting chemical changes in both the brains and bodies of young people, making them sick now and increasing their chances of serious medical problems in adulthood.

Burke believes that regarding childhood trauma as a medical issue helps her treat her patients more effectively.  In the view of Burke and the researchers she has been following, many of the problems that we think of as social issues might be better addressed on the molecular level. If these researchers are right, it could be time to reassess the relationship between poverty, child development and health.