A health-profile comparison of delinquent and homeless youths

Little is known about the health status and health care needs of homeless and delinquent youths. This study provides medical data (medical history and physical examination) on samples of delinquent (n = 245) and homeless (n = 160) youths in San Francisco, CA. Although homeless youths had somewhat more medical problems than did delinquent youths, both groups had a multiplicity of medical problems, many of which were worse than among the general adolescent population. A substantial percentage of both samples did not have adequate health care coverage. Medical services to high-risk youths should be improved by providing street outreach, public health clinics, and multiservice centers for adolescents.