Journal article
Pregnancy and sexual health among homeless young injection drug users
Journal of adolescence (London, England.), v 32(2), pp 339-355
2009
PMID: 18692891
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Research on pregnancy and sexual health among homeless youth is limited. In this study, qualitative interviews were conducted with 41 homeless young injection drug users (IDUs) in Los Angeles with a history of pregnancy. The relationship between recent pregnancy outcomes, contraception practices, housing status, substance use, utilization of prenatal care, and histories of sexual victimization are described. A total of 81 lifetime pregnancies and 26 children were reported. Infrequent and ineffective use of contraception was common. While pregnancy motivated some homeless youth to establish housing, miscarriages and terminations were more frequent among youth who reported being housed. Widespread access to prenatal and medical services was reported during pregnancy, but utilization varied. Many women continued to use substances throughout pregnancy. Several youth reported childhood sexual abuse and sexual victimization while homeless. Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity to encourage positive health behaviors in a high-risk population seldom seen in a clinical setting.
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Details
- Title
- Pregnancy and sexual health among homeless young injection drug users
- Creators
- Dodi Hathazi - Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, The Saban Research Institute, Community, Health Outcomes, and Intervention Research Program, 6430 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USAStephen E Lankenau - Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, The Saban Research Institute, Community, Health Outcomes, and Intervention Research Program, 6430 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USABill Sanders - Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, The Saban Research Institute, Community, Health Outcomes, and Intervention Research Program, 6430 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USAJennifer Jackson Bloom - Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, The Saban Research Institute, Community, Health Outcomes, and Intervention Research Program, 6430 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA
- Publication Details
- Journal of adolescence (London, England.), v 32(2), pp 339-355
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Community Health and Prevention
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000264999100012
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-61349170101
- Other Identifier
- 991014877821404721
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Psychology, Developmental