Children in and of the streets: health, social policy and the homeless young

Article Abstract:

The characteristics of the population of homeless persons changed in the 1980s. Consisting primarily of white, alcoholic, abusive males, before that time, today about 37 percent of the homeless population is women and children and their numbers are growing. Four of every 10 poor persons in the United States are children. Homelessness compromises physical and mental health, and complicates the abilities of pediatricians and others to provide effective health care. Homelessness is especially difficult for little children, who lack the closeness and tenderness of family relationships. Shelters for women and children are breeding grounds for the infectious diseases that often affect children. Without home or school ties, immunization protocols and schedules can not be met. Infant mortality and prematurity rates for the homeless are unknown, but are probably higher than the average population. Nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and growth problems are present in higher rates among homeless children. As a group, they have generally increased morbidity, poor dentition, frequent scabies and lice infestation, more skin disorders, more respiratory infections, and more chronic ailments. They have the same problems as children in average home environments, only more often, and with more serious consequences. All these children want is a safe, warm and clean place to live and play. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Homelessness

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Health and social conditions of street children in Honduras

Article Abstract:

Street children in Honduras are at significant risk for different types of physical and emotional harm. Honduras is an extremely poor developing country in Latin America, with a large number of children not in school. A study examined the health and social conditions of street children who received services from the Proyecto Alternativos, a program that provides social services, including health education, in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa. A significant number of the children had migrated to the capital from rural areas of Honduras, and the family structure of most of the children was weak or disorganized. Over 33% of the children had only fair to poor health with 5% never having had a check-up by physician. Over 40% were suffering from poor nutrition, and 8% ate just one meal per day. Many of the children were suffering from substance abuse problems with inhalants being the most commonly used substance. Many of the abandoned street children were sexually active, and many had received treatment for a sexually transmitted disease.

Honduras, Health education

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Homeless children: two years later

Article Abstract:

Trends in poverty, homelessness and health among the nation's children are worsening, not improving. In 1991, the number of Americans living below the poverty rose two million from the number in 1990. More households now receive food stamps than ever before. More families are chronically poor year after year, rather than occasionally poor. Poverty is more concentrated in inner-city areas. The number of homeless and the rate of homelessness more than tripled between 1981 and 1989. Children have been especially hard hit. The poverty rate is greatest among this age group, and children under 17 make up about 1/3 of the 37 million people in the US without health insurance. Improvements in the infant death rate have slowed while the gap between white infant death rates and black infant death rates has widened. The mounting evidence that overall child health is deteriorating will continue to accumulate unless these economic trends are reversed.

Statistics, Medically uninsured persons, Poor children

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