Street+Youth+and+Health+issues



HEALTH ISSUES
The health issues that youth living on the streets can contract are HIV and hepatitis from sharing or using dirty needles. The most common types of hepaitis contratced on the streets is type B & C. Tuberculosis is also a issue amoung street youth. They also can contract sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies this is because they do not have the money to buy proper sexual protection and some street youth turn to prostitution in order to pay for their addiction. In Montreal 25% of homeless youth engaged in prostituion. Street youth also are susceptible to infections and illnessbecause they do not have proper healthcare. Street youth may have infestations of lice or scabies. Malnurtrion is another issue for street youth as they do not eat properly. Dental diseases are also a issue because they do not have proper dental hygeine. In the winter months they can suffer from hypothermia and frost bite. In summer months they can have heatstroke or severe sunburns. Street youth also can suffer from mental illness about 6% of homeless youth suffer from schizophrenia (Stephen W. Hwang, 2001). They also suffer from depression which can lead to suicide.