Disease patterns in homeless children: a comparison with national data.
Although homeless children have increased in numbers as poverty has become feminized, minorities have become poorer, and low-income housing has become less accessible, little is known of their health problems. This study compared the health problems of a group of uninsured and homeless children visiting a free, nurse-managed, primary care clinic on Los Angeles' Skid Row with data from children's primary care visits to pediatricians and general and family physicians sampled in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Diagnoses were classified into the following health service categories: (a) acute, (b) communicable, and (c) chronic disease; (d) preventive and (e) injury care. Comparisons indicated that services to homeless children differed significantly from reimbursed services in the national sample in all categories except chronic disease. Demographic analysis indicated that homeless children were predominantly Hispanic Americans. When data from Hispanic children were examined, the pattern of differences between the homeless and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey diagnostic categories persisted. This study shows the variations in nursing care which a group of high-risk, severely impoverished, uninsured children require.
Murata
J E
JE
Patrick Mace
J
J
Strehlow
A
A
Shuler
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D009017:Morbidity; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology