Health Risks and Outcomes of Homelessness in School-Age Children and Youth: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Abstract

Despite reports that over 1.3 million school-age children (ages 5–18) were homeless in 2019, little is known about the effects of homelessness on their overall health and well-being. To better understand where gaps exist, a scoping review of the literature was conducted to identify studies of the physical, mental, and behavioral health risks and outcomes of school-age children experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and Preferred Reporting Items (PRISMA) guidelines, seven electronic databases were searched using key words: homelessness, children, health, and well-being. Of the 4,372 records, 23 articles met inclusion criteria. Most examined mental health and high-risk activities or behavioral risks related to school achievement. Few studies tracked the long-term health outcomes of homeless school-age children. Findings have implications for school nurses who have contact with children experiencing homelessness and are in position to intervene to prevent negative health sequelae in this vulnerable population.

Pathways Into Couchsurfing From Child Safety Involvement

“…Early-onset youth homelessness has also been associated with poor physical and mental health, chaotic substance use, under-and unemployment, and lower educational attainment (Barker, 2016;Chamberlain & Johnson, 2013;Cobb-Clark & Zhu, 2017;Gultekin et al, 2020;Johnson & Chamberlain, 2008;Kulik et al, 2011). While sleeping rough is typically associated with the poorest outcomes, recent research on couchsurfing has illustrated that it increases preventable mortality and is associated with poorer mental health compared to stable housing (Rhoades et al, 2022;Hail-Jares, et al, 2021b;Hail-Jares, et al, 2021c;White et al, 2022).…”

Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy

“…Research reveals that some children and young people begin running away as early as age 10 and may even have short or prolonged periods of rough sleeping (Flatau et al, 2015). This means that efforts to prevent student homelessness should begin as early as possible in the child's development, with some suggesting as early as preschool (e.g., Gultekin et al, 2020).…”

“…Irregular school attendance (e.g., Moore & McArthur, 2011), underachievement and learning difficulties (e.g., ICPH, 2019), risk-taking behaviours (e.g., binge drinking, Cutuli, 2018), behavioural issues (e.g., Cutuli, 2018) and early school leaving (e.g., Low, Hallett, & Mo, 2017) are common presentations among homeless students. Furthermore, homelessness in children and adolescents is associated with multiple negative physical health, mental health and behavioural outcomes (Gultekin et al, 2020).…”

‘I just want my parenting to be able to be better than what it is’: A qualitative exploration of parenting strengths and needs of mothers experiencing homelessness

“…There are well‐documented concerns related to the health and development of children who are homeless (e.g. Barnes et al, 2017; Gultekin et al, 2020). However, there is also evidence of wide individual differences among these children, with resilient functioning demonstrated among many children experiencing homelessness (Huntington et al, 2008).…”