Hospital youth workers for violence reduction

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Medicine
• Social Work

Background:

• Youth workers (YWs) provide crucial support to young people presenting at hospitals with violence-related injuries.
• Effective interventions are needed to address the complex needs of this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of hospital-based youth workers (YWs) in an urban district hospital setting.
• To explore the perspectives of young people who engaged with the YW program.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study included all young people referred to YWs over 31 months.
• Demographic data were collected, and engaged participants completed questionnaires on emotional disturbance, criminality risk, and feedback.

Main Results:

• 496 young people were referred (mean age 14.9 years).
• 85 (17%) engaged with YWs, and 15 (18%) completed the program.
• Most completers (93%) showed reduced criminality and emotional disturbance scores. Participants valued mentors and coping strategies.

Conclusions:

• Hospital-based YWs are effective in supporting vulnerable youth with violence-related injuries.
• The program is well-received by young people, who benefit from mentorship and skill-building.