[Operation of an emergency shelter in the Red Cross House (RCH) for runaway, throwaway and homeless adolescents in Iceland during the period 1996-2000.].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between running away from home with doing poorly at school, the use of alcohol and drugs, family structure, etc.


METHODS
Analysis of data collected among adolescents who sought help at the RCH, the period 1996-2000 was compared to a prior report on RCH guests for the period 1985-1995. Admission records of the RCH were used for collecting data for subsequent analysis and the guests were grouped into runaways, throwaways and homeless adolescents. Runaways came off the street or left home on their own accord. Throwaways had been asked to leave home. The homeless had nowhere to stay, did not live with parents/guardians, presented following alcohol/drug treatment or were escorted by the police.


RESULTS
Compared with the operation of RCH during 1985-1995, there was about 32% increase of registered visits, mostly runaway boys and throwaways of both sexes. Fewer adolescents were homeless than in 1985-1995. About one third of runaways/throwaways and more than 70% of homeless were neither working nor at school when presenting at the RCH. Use of tobacco, alcohol/ drugs was common among guests. The most frequent reasons for the homeless seeking assistance was alcohol/ drug abuse but for runaways/throwaways having nowhere to stay and conflicts within their family. Runaway/throwaway boys were more likely than girls to be school dropouts, abuse alcohol/drugs and be out of work. Frequent visitors were worse off than first time visitors.


CONCLUSIONS
The plight of homeless adolescents seemed more serious than that of runaways and throwaways. The RCH aims to keep adolescents off the streets and to prevent runaways or throwaways to become homeless who are more likely to be out of work, commit crimes and abuse alcohol/drugs. The increase of visits by adolescents registered as runaways or throwaways to the RCH, and the decrease of visits by those registered as homeless might suggest that frequency of severe relational problems between parents and their child is on the increase in Icelandic homes.
Hauksson
Haukur
H
Landspitali University Hospital, Hringbraut, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland. eirikur@landspitali.is.
Arnarson
Eiríkur Oern
EO