A risk profile comparison of runaway and non-runaway youth.
All initial visits (N = 765) to an outpatient medical clinic during calendar year 1985 were analyzed. Six hundred and fifty-five of these visits made by non-runaway youth were compared to 110 visits made by runaways. Based on data from the Childrens Hospital Adolescent Risk Profile Interview, runaway street youth are at greater risk for a wide variety of medical problems and of health-compromising behaviors including suicide and depression, prostitution, and drug use. The implications for public health and social policy are discussed.
Yates
G L
GL
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, CA 90054.
MacKenzie
R
R
Pennbridge
J
J
Cohen
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation; D012419:Runaway Behavior