Jessica Woan|Jessica Lin|Colette Auerswald
The Health Status of Street Children and Youth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of the Literature
University of Washington|University of California, San Francisco|University of California, San Francisco|University of California, Berkeley
health tens millions street children globally understudied undertook systematic review existing quantitative literature regarding health status street children youth low middleincome countries summarize available knowledge identify underexplored areas research inform future research agenda regarding health population total 108 articles met inclusion criteria demographic data structural factors associated street life summarized although data specific regions diseases sparse literature review illustrates youths survival behaviors exposures associated poor shelter resulted disproportionate morbidity areas infectious illness psychiatric disease reproductive health perhaps lesser extent growth vast areas health may disproportionately affect street children childhood later adults investigated including chronic diseases cognitive deficits studies specific diseases conditions vary considerably region strengths limitations literature discussed principles future research area proposed