Health inequalities among homeless adolescents.
Edna Johana Mondragón-Sánchez, Patricia Neyva da Costa Pinheiro, Lorena Pinheiro Barbosa
PMID 36351089WHAT IT FOUND
Homeless adolescents in Brazil faced barriers to care because they lacked ID documents.
Many slept on the street to avoid violence, leading to poor hygiene and hunger. These social conditions, not just medical needs, drove their health inequalities.
Key findings
01Lack of identification documents prevented homeless adolescents from accessing health care services.
02Most participants slept on the street due to fear and violence, impacting their safety and hygiene.
03Health problems like gastritis, respiratory issues, and depression were common among the participants.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (19 participants), limiting generalizability. Convenience sampling was used, which does not allow for statistical inference about the broader homeless adolescent population. Data collection on the streets was challenging due to participant mobility and safety concerns.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of statistically significant associations between ID possession and demographic variables as evidence that these factors do not matter. The sample size of 19 was too small to detect real-world patterns, and the qualitative data clearly showed that ID status directly impacted access to care.