Reasons reported by children, youth for being on the streets

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-04/tjnj-rrb033116.php

Public Release: 4-Apr-2016
Reasons reported by children, youth for being on the streets
The JAMA Network Journals

Poverty was the most common reason reported by children and youth, globally, for why they were on the streets, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.

It is hard to estimate the number of children and youth who spend time on the streets because it is difficult to count and define this population. Street-connected children and youth are those for whom the streets play a central role in their lives. Without empirical data on the reasons why children are on the streets, policies are often developed without taking these causes into account. Children and youth who spend time on the streets suffer illness and death.

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Poverty was the most common reason reported for street involvement by children and youth, globally, with an estimated prevalence of 39 percent, according to the study analysis. Poverty was followed by family conflict and abuse as the most frequently reported reasons with estimated prevalences of 32 percent and 26 percent, respectively.

In developing nations, street involvement was reported to be most frequently due to poverty-related reasons, while in developed countries, it was family conflict that was the most frequently reported reason, the results suggest.

Delinquency was the reason cited the least frequently for why children and youth were on the streets with an estimated prevalence of just 10 percent, according to the results.

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