New health guide will help young and homeless
[ UniNews Vol. 14, No. 20
31 October - 14 November 2005 ]
A practical health guide for young homeless people surviving on the street has been produced by researchers at the University of Melbourne’s Key Centre for Women’s Health in Society (KCWHS).
The booklet – 674: A Pocket Guide to Keeping Well on the Street – is based on research findings from Project i, a longitudinal study of 674 young people in Melbourne and Los Angeles.
The guide has been written by KCWHS Project i research team members Professor Doreen Rosenthal, Dr Shelley Mallett and Ms Deb Keys.
Contained in the guide is advice on preventing Hepatitis C, depression and anxiety, the safe use of needles for injecting drugs, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), contraception and pregnancy, plus a list of places where young people can get help.
Selected research findings and the voices of young people are also contained in 674 which will be distributed to key services in Melbourne and beyond.
“Research shows that young people do think about their health but sometimes, when they are at breaking point, they do things they regret,” says Dr Mallett.
“Young people may be homeless for a short time, but in that time may develop health problems such as HIV or Hepatitis C. These conditions have life-long impacts. We are giving information so it can be used to reduce harm in all sorts of ways.”
Launched recently by VicHealth Chief Executive Officer, Professor Rob Moodie, 674 was praised by him for being an ”honest, rather than dogmatic” approach to drug use and homelessness.
“Life for young people who are homeless is like the big dipper, when you are going down, you have to hold on really tight and keeping hanging on,” he said.
Dr Moodie, an Honorary Professor in the University’s School of Population Health and Chair of the Premier’s Drug Prevention Council, added that it was heartening to see researchers use their work to contribute to community debate about controversial issues.
“It’s hard to have a sensible discussion about drugs and homelessness. People want the Nancy Reagan approach which is ‘just say “no”’. But the world is not black and white. It’s grey; sometimes it’s very grey.”
Melbourne City Mission CEO Anne Turley praised 674 for being a rare combination of evidence based information written in a non-judgmental, accessible style, taking into account the constraints homeless young people have in trying to look after themselves.
Project i reveals significant health problems for young homeless people –
• Of the 674 interviewed, 33 per cent had attempted suicide in the three months before they were interviewed.
• One in four young people had injected drugs in the previous three months and one in four of these had shared equipment;
• 22 per cent had unprotected sex with an injecting drug user;
• Only one in four use condoms every time they have sex, leaving them vulnerable to STIs such as chlamydia (which may impact on fertility), Hepatitis C and HIV;
• Young homeless people are twice as likely to not wear a condom compared with young people living at home.
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