Preventive health care utilization among youths who have run away, experienced homelessness, or been stably housed

"Although it is well established that youths with unstable housing face increased health risks compared with peers with stable housing, there is considerable heterogeneity in youths’ experiences of housing instability, with implications for health, clinical practice, and policy. For instance, adolescents who are homeless with their families may have unique health needs compared with those who are unaccompanied, and youths who run away may be at particularly high risk for poor health outcomes. Given that annual preventive visits are recommended for all adolescents, they may represent an opportunity to explore housing status and address health needs of youth facing housing instability. To inform clinical practice and interventions, the authors sought to compare preventive health care utilization among subgroups of youth who have run away, experienced homelessness, or been stably housed.
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