Health and Street/ Homeless Youth

Abstract

This article reviews the Canadian literature on health issues for homeless/street youth couched in terms of the broad determinants of health. A description of the target population is presented, followed by a discussion of the health risks associated with living in marginal and precarious situations `on the street'. In particular, the potential consequences of engaging in the risky and often dangerous activities (e.g. substance abuse and high-risk sex) associated with the street lifestyle are discussed. Key conclusions drawn from the relevant literature are taken into consideration in a final section that includes a discussion of the policy implications of this work.