Gang youth as a vulnerable population for nursing intervention.
BACKGROUND
Gang youth often come from socially and economically marginalized communities. Such youth report significantly higher rates of participation in violence, substance use, and risky sexual behaviors than their nongang peers.


OBJECTIVE
This manuscript argues that gang-identified youth constitute a vulnerable population.


METHODS
Data are drawn from the general research literature and a case example of how a nurse in Los Angeles partnered with law enforcement to provide preventive health care to gang youth and youth at-risk for joining gangs.


CONCLUSIONS
Gang youth are a vulnerable population amenable to nursing intervention. Gang youth may have particular health care needs and may need special access to health care.
Sanders
Bill
B
School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. bsander2@calstatela.edu
Schneiderman
Janet U
JU
Loken
Alisha
A
Lankenau
Stephen E
SE
Bloom
Jennifer Jackson
JJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010379:Peer Group; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data