Runaway youths and correlating factors, study in Thailand.
OBJECTIVE
To study differences between runaways and non-runaways in a mental health clinic and to study differences between runaways in a mental health clinic and legal / shelter system.


METHODS
Psychiatric records of runaways and non-runaways from Vajira Hospital were collected from June 1994 to October 2003. 21 cases in each group were studied in various factors. 21 runaway cases who were in child and adolescent shelters were interviewed by the researchers.


RESULTS
Neglect, sexual abuse, rejection, poverty and truancy were more common in the runaway group. The runaway group had more conduct disorder and substance abuse. Physical abuse, authoritarian and being in custody were more common in runaways in shelters.


CONCLUSIONS
Various factors correlate with running away. These factors lie beneath long before runaway has taken place and understanding and managing them help in preventing and prompt treatment.
Department of Psychiatry Bangkok Metropolitan Medical College and Vajira Hospital, Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand. ptechakasem@yahoo.com
Pisarn
P
Techakasem
Varuna
V
Kolkijkovin
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012419:Runaway Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data