The Job Corps experience with health problems among disadvantaged youth

Health problems in a disadvantaged group of young people were studied by analysis of Job Corps screening and medical termination data obtained during fiscal year 1975. The Job Corps is a federally funded, residential vocational training program. During fiscal year 1975, the program was conducted in 60 centers throughout the United States. Corpsmembers (ages 16-21) come from poverty backgrounds; in 1975, 55 percent were black. Approximately 1 percent of applicants with serious health problems are screened out by a nonprofessional procedure. Comprehensive health services are provided to corpsmembers; however, limited funds and interference with training prevent continuing care for pregnancies and some serious illness and injuries. Corpsmembers with these conditions are terminated from the Job Corps, and arrangements are made for care in their communities. Less than 2 percent of the corpsmembers were terminated for medical reasons during fiscal year 1975. Pregnancy accounted for 359 terminations. Of 44,390 corpsmembers, 457 were terminated for illness or injury. The majority of these terminations were for mental health problems; trauma was the next largest category. During fiscal year 1975, 22 deaths occurred; 21 were from accidents or suicide. The low medical termination rate among these socioeconomically disadvantaged young people suggests that maintenance of relatively good health is possible over a short period through provision of basic health care and health education, which can be provided largely by allied health personnel under professional supervision.