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Timing and Duration of Pre- and Postnatal Homelessness and the Health of Young Children
Journal article   Open access

Timing and Duration of Pre- and Postnatal Homelessness and the Health of Young Children

Megan Sandel, Richard Sheward, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, Sharon Coleman, Timothy Heeren, Maureen M. Black, Patrick H. Casey, Mariana Chilton, John Cook, Diana Becker Cutts, …
Pediatrics (Evanston), v 142(4), pe20174254
01 Oct 2018
PMID: 30177513
url
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-4254View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze) Open

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Pediatrics Science & Technology
OBJECTIVES: Prenatal homelessness is associated with elevated risks of adverse neonatal outcomes. How the timing and duration of homelessness during pregnancy and/or a child's early life relate to postnatal child health is unclear. METHODS: We interviewed 20 571 low-income caregivers of children <4 years old in urban pediatric clinics and/or emergency departments in 5 US cities. Categories of homelessness timing were prenatal, postnatal, both, or never; postnatal duration was >6 months or <6 months. RESULTS: After controlling for birth outcomes and other potential confounders, compared with never-homeless children, children who were homeless both pre-and postnatally were at the highest risk of the following: postneonatal hospitalizations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.41; confidence interval [CI] 1.18-1.69), fair or poor child health (aOR 1.97; CI 1.58-2.47), and developmental delays (aOR 1.48; CI 1.16-1.89). There was no significant association with risk of underweight (aOR 0.95; CI 0.76-1.18) or overweight status (aOR 1.07; CI 0.84-1.37). Children <1 year old with >6 months of homelessness versus those who were never homeless had high risks of fair or poor health (aOR 3.13; CI 2.05-4.79); children 1 to 4 years old who were homeless for >6 months were at risk for fair or poor health (aOR 1.89; CI 1.38-2.58). CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for birth outcomes, the stress of prenatal and postnatal homelessness was found to be associated with an increased risk of adverse pediatric health outcomes relative to those who were never homeless. Interventions to stabilize young families as quickly as possible in adequate and affordable housing may result in improved pediatric health outcomes.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#1 No Poverty
#5 Gender Equality
#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Pediatrics
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