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Homeless children: interdisciplinary drug prevention intervention
Insights
Homeless children face a high risk of early and ongoing substance abuse. This study proposes an interdisciplinary prevention curriculum for preschool homeless children, highlighting nurses
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Substance Abuse Prevention
- Social Determinants of Health
Background:
- Homeless children are a vulnerable population at high risk for substance abuse.
- Early initiation and sustained participation in substance abuse behaviors are significant concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe homeless children in the context of drug abuse etiology research.
- To discuss current prevention strategies for substance abuse in this population.
- To propose an interdisciplinary prevention curriculum for homeless preschool children and outline delivery methods.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on drug abuse etiology in homeless children.
- Analysis of existing prevention strategies.
- Development of a proposed interdisciplinary prevention curriculum framework.
- Delineation of curriculum delivery methods.
Main Results:
- Homeless children exhibit unique vulnerabilities to substance abuse.
- Current prevention strategies require enhancement for this specific demographic.
- An interdisciplinary curriculum is proposed, focusing on early intervention for preschool-aged homeless children.
Conclusions:
- Nurses are uniquely positioned to lead the design and implementation of prevention curricula for homeless children.
- A structured, interdisciplinary approach is necessary for effective substance abuse prevention in this population.
- Early intervention through targeted curricula can mitigate risks associated with homelessness and substance abuse.
Abstract:
Homelessness among children has been called a national tragedy. Homeless children, by virtue of their unique situation, are particularly vulnerable for early initiation of and sustained participation in substance abuse behaviors. The authors describe homeless children in relation to drug abuse etiology research, discuss current prevention strategies, suggest necessary components of an interdisciplinary prevention curriculum for homeless preschool children, and delineate methods for delivering the curriculum to the children. Nurses, given their unique role in the healthcare delivery system as well as a holistic world view, are in an unparalleled position to facilitate the design and implementation of such curricula.