Health Care Needs of Homeless and Runaway Youths

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Abstract
Large numbers of homeless adolescents can be found in this country, with estimates of their numbers ranging from 500 000 to more than 2 million. Some are runaways while others are involuntarily without shelter, often having been forced out of their homes. Most receive no help from social service agencies and their lack of skills forces them into a marginal existence, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and victimization. Health problems are numerous and health care is generally inadequate for several reasons, including a lack of treatment facilities, the behavior of the adolescents themselves, the ability of providers to deal with such youths, and the questionable legal status of homeless adolescents. The Council on Scientific Affairs urges that reliable and up-to-date data on the extent of homelessness among adolescents and the nature of their needs be generated and that guidelines for the medical care of such youths be developed. (JAMA. 1989;262:1358-1361)