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Children in Sheltered Homeless Families: Reported Health Status and Use of Health Services

NCJ Number
123475
Journal
Pediatrics Volume: 81 Dated: (May 1988) Pages: 668-673
Author(s)
D S Miller; E H B Lin
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Children in homeless families have poorer reported health status and are not obtaining preventive medical care.
Abstract
A population-based, cross-sectional survey was performed of a probability sample of 82 homeless families having a total of 158 children 17 days to 17 years of age living in emergency shelters in King County, Washington. Nearly half the children had a wide variety of reported acute and chronic health problems, such as asthma, seizures, sickle cell disease, third-degree burns, and possible renal disease. When compared with the U.S. general pediatric population, the proportion of homeless children reported to be in "fair" or "poor" health was four times higher. Less than 10 percent of the children measured were short for their age or underweight, whereas 35 percent were greater than the 95th percentile for weight-for-height. Total use of outpatient facilities by the homeless children was comparable to that in the general U.S. pediatric population. However, in view of their reported poorer health status, homeless children may actually be underusing medical services. Furthermore, a disproportionate number of the children are not receiving preventive services such as immunization and tuberculosis skin testing. 6 tables, 26 references. (Author abstract modified)

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