Youth homelessness: risk factors and outcomes
Date
2019-07-19
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PolicyWise for Children & Families
Abstract
Youth experiencing homelessness often face serious risks including victimization, substance abuse, poor nutrition, suicidality, and limited access to primary healthcare and other services. This report examined Alberta youth (14 to 17 years old) in 2005/06 to find (1) what social programs and medical codes in 2005/06 to 2006/07 preceded a homelessness diagnostic code in 2007/08 to 2010/11, and (2) what outcomes homeless youth (in 2005/06 to 2008/09) faced during 2009/10 to 2010/11. This report found that homeless youth were more likely to have many poor outcomes before their homelessness and to have many poor outcomes after experiencing youth homelessness. These outcomes were seen across systems (i.e., income support, health care, criminal, and education systems). These findings provide evidence that offering supports to homeless youth from multiple contact points, including health, education, and justice may improve their outcomes.
Description
This report describes risk factors leading to visible homelessness in Albertan youth (14 to 17 years old), and the outcomes that homeless youth experience using administrative data from 2005/06 to 2010/11.
Keywords
homelessness, youth, big data, longitudinal, social services, health services, street youth, pregnancy, mental health, welfare, administrative data, data linkage
Citation
Child and Youth Data Laboratory. (2019). Youth homelessness: risk factors and outcomes. Edmonton, AB: PolicyWise for Children & Families.