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Updated: Jun 16, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Health Needs Assessment of Unhoused Youth in Charleston, South Carolina
Cristin S Adams1, Chelsea A Roach, Carole R Berini
1Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Adams, Mss Berini and Cooper, and Drs Player and Diaz); Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Dr Roach); and Kahle Strategic Insights, Charleston, South Carolina (Dr Kahle).
Background:
Over 35 000 youth experience homelessness on any given night in the United States (US). Unhoused youth experience unique physical and mental health challenges and face barriers in every social determinant of health (SDoH), which may be amplified in the LGBTQ+ population.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to define characteristics of the unhoused youth population and their utilization of healthcare to inform programs to meet their needs.
Methods:
Secondary analysis of data from the College of Charleston's YOUth Count survey was conducted, focusing on health-related characteristics, challenges, healthcare utilization, and SDoH of youth aged 18 to 25 experiencing homelessness in Charleston, SC.
Results:
Almost three-quarters of respondents (74.6%) reported mental health challenges and 35% reported physical health challenges. A significantly higher proportion of those who engaged in survival sex were LGBTQ+ . More than half (68.4%) visited the emergency department (ED) and 29.3% were admitted to the hospital in the past 12 months. Housing status, safety, food insecurity, sexual orientation, prior foster care, and survival sex were all significantly associated with ED utilization. Housing status and survival sex were significantly associated with hospital admission.
Conclusions:
Addressing SDoH is essential to improving health outcomes and healthcare utilization among unhoused youth, particularly in the LGBTQ+ population.
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