Consultório na rua: atenção a pessoas em uso de substâncias psicoativas / Street outreach office: attention to people on psychoactive drug/substance / Consultorio en la calle: atención a las personas en el uso de substancias psicoactivas

O estudo objetivou investigar os modos de atuação e as características do trabalho de intervenção com adultos jovens em situação de rua e usuários de substâncias psicoativas, segundo percepções de profissionais do Consultório na Rua (CR) do município de Goiânia (GO) e de pessoas atendidas pelo mesmo. Os participantes foram nove profissionais de diferentes categorias com idades entre 24 e 64 anos e quatro usuários beneficiários do CR com idades entre 23 e 37 anos. A metodologia foi qualitativa com aplicação de roteiros semiestruturados de entrevista e realização de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados, a partir dos relatos dos profissionais, configuraram eixos temáticos, tais como: atuação profissional no CR; aspectos facilitadores e dificultadores e apoio necessário para o trabalho. Para os usuários, os eixos foram: primeiro contato com a equipe; atuação dos profissionais do CR e o mais interessante nesse trabalho. Observou-se consonância entre as percepções e predomínio de aspectos positivos nos relatos dos profissionais e dos usuários acerca da atuação do CR, caracterizada por acolhimento, escuta e vínculo. Quanto às dificuldades, foram citados: preconceito e falta de aceitação do usuário pela sociedade civil; atuação agressiva da Polícia Militar e da Guarda Municipal e falta de insumos para o trabalho. O estudo indicou que os modos de atuação do CR vão ao encontro daqueles preconizados nas políticas públicas de álcool e outras drogas do país, pautados no respeito aos direitos humanos, ampliação do acesso a ações e serviços e redução de danos à saúde da população usuária em situação de rua.

The present study aimed at investigating professional practices and characteristics of intervention with young adults living in the streets who make use of psychoactive substances (PAS), according to perceptions of Street Outreach Office (SOO) professionals in the city of Goiânia and of people served by the SOO. Participants were nine different categories of professionals, aged between 24 and 64 years old, four PAS users aged between 23 and 37 years old, alcohol and crack users. The methodology was of qualitative type with semi-structured interviews and used content analysis. The results based on reports from professionals configured the following theme axes: professional work at the SOO; facilitating aspects; difficulties; support needed for the work. The users’ themes were: first contact with the team, the work of the SOO professionals, the most interesting thing about this work. There was consistency between the perceptions and positive aspects in the reports from professionals and PAS users about the work of the SOO, characterized by listening, reception and bond. The difficulties cited were: prejudice and lack of acceptance from civil society towards users; aggressive actions by the Military Police and the Municipal Guard; and lack of provisions for the work. The study indicated that the governing principles of the actions of the SOO are in accordance with those recommended by the public policy in the area of alcohol and other drugs in Brazil, based on respect for human rights, expansion of access to actions and services, and harm reduction to the users’ health.

El estudio tuvo el objetico de investigar los modos de actuación y las características del trabajo de intervención con adultos jóvenes habitantes de la calle y usuarios de sustancias psicoactivas, según percepciones de profesionales del Consultorio en la Calle (CC) del municipio de Goiânia (GO) y de personas atendidas por el CC. Los participantes fueron nueve profesionales de diferentes categorías con edades entre 24 y 64 años, y cuatro usuarios beneficiarios de CC con edades entre 23 y 37 años. Fue utilizada la metodología cualitativa con aplicación de guiones semiestructurados de entrevista y la realización de análisis de contenido. Los resultados, a partir de los relatos de los profesionales, se configuraron en ejes temáticos, tales como: actuación profesional en el CC; aspectos facilitadores y dificultadores; apoyo necesario para el trabajo. Para los usuarios, los ejes fueron: primer contacto con el equipo; actuación de los profesionales del CC; lo más interesante en ese trabajo. Se observó una coherencia entre las percepciones y el predominio de aspectos positivos en los relatos de los profesionales y de los usuarios, respecto a la actuación del CC, caracterizada como acogida, escucha y vínculo. En cuanto a las dificultades, fueron citados: prejuicio y falta de aceptación del usuario por la sociedad civil; acciones agresivas de la Policía Militar y Guardia Municipal; y la falta de insumos para el trabajo. El estudio indicó que los modos de actuación del CC cumplen aquellos preconizados en las políticas públicas de alcohol y otras drogas de Brasil, basados en el respeto a los derechos humanos, ampliación del acceso a acciones y servicios y la reducción de daños a la salud de esta población usuaria.

Mental health correlates of victimization classes among homeless youth.

Literature reports high rates of street victimization among homeless youth and recognizes psychiatric symptoms associated with such victimization. Few studies have investigated the existence of victimization classes that differ in type and frequency of victimization and how youth in such classes differ in psychiatric profiles. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to examine whether classes of homeless youth, based on both type and frequency of victimization experiences, differ in rates of meeting diagnostic criteria for major depressive episodes and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of homeless youth (N=601) from three regions of the United States. Results suggest youth who experience high levels of direct and indirect victimization (high-victimization class) share similarly high rates of depressive episodes and PTSD as youth who experience primarily indirect victimization only (witness class). Rates of meeting criteria for depressive episodes and PTSD were nearly two and three times greater, respectively, among the high victimization and witness classes compared to youth who never or rarely experienced victimization. Findings suggest the need for screening and intervention for homeless youth who report direct and indirect victimization and youth who report indirect victimization only, while prevention efforts may be more relevant for youth who report limited victimization experience.

Homeless youth: a concept analysis.

INTRODUCTION. A variety of terms have been used to describe the homeless youth population. PURPOSE. The purpose of this article is to analyze the conceptual meanings of the term homeless youths by examining the evolution of the concept and its related terms in the current literature. Method. Online databases from 1990-2010 were analyzed using the Rodgers evolutionary approach. RESULTS. The 6 attributes relating to homeless youth were physical location, age, health, behavior, choice, and survival. CONCLUSION. The analysis provided insight and clarification of homeless youth from a variety of related terms in the literature.

CDC HIV testing guidelines and the rapid and conventional testing practices of homeless youth.

The study's aims were to describe rapid and conventional HIV testing practices and referrals/linkages to services posttest among homeless youth in New York City. We also examined variation among service-involved youth, street youth, and "nomads." Respondent-driven sampling was used to recruit 217 homeless youth who participated in structured interviews. Almost all youth were tested in the past year (82%). Most received pretest/posttest counseling (> 77%). Rapid testing was common and conducted in diverse settings. However, youth reported that rates of referral/linkage to services posttest were low (< 44.4%). Service-involved youth were significantly more likely to receive rapid testing, be tested in the past year, and be tested at a high frequency. Street youth and nomads, those at highest risk for poor health outcomes, had less access to testing and may require creative, low-threshold services. Further, a better understanding of barriers to the use of referrals/linkages to services posttest is needed.

A Cultural and Gender Perspective on Marginal Children on the Streets of Kenya

How to best analytically position street children in comparison to others in various social circumstances requires a robust theoretical discussion.The very concept of street children can be contested as essentialized; serving to mask social and behavioral differences; especially those between boys and girls.The limited perspective of the street child as a victim and thereby psychologically vulnerable is also contested. Cases considered here serve to illustrate that all children on the streets share a common experience of social marginality.This is experienced by them as children; as members of the powerless jua kali (hot sun) workers class; and in their isolation from cultural institutions. Some of these children however; especially girls; are vulnerable and clearly victims of harsh social circumstances. A theoretical perspective is put forth to explain a relative social marginality for women; taking into account increased social class differences and changing cultural values since 1900. Girls on the streets are therefore best understood as being at the bottom of a gendered hierarchy in Kenya. Concepts like the street child and the vulnerable child in current use as master labels serve to hide agency reported here even on the margins of Kenya's cultural; social; and gender hierarchy. An ethnographic method is put forth as a useful strategy for discovering strategies for success on the streets. To specifically evaluate gender; follow up research with adults previously described as children (1991) is combined with new material from children in Nairobi and the smaller city of Nyeri in central Kenya. A theoretical perspective from general anthropology is offered as one way to better align studies of children with broader theoretical concerns in anthropology and related disciplines

Patterns of attachment organization, social connectedness, and substance use in a sample of older homeless adolescents: preliminary findings.

Social researchers continue to strive to understand the development and social decision-making processes of homeless adolescents. While it has been established that attachment is a salient factor with regard to childhood maltreatment and later psychosocial problems, there is a dearth of information on how homeless youths' thoughts and feelings about attachment may also be linked to behavioral risks including alcohol and substance use. This exploratory study examines older homeless adolescent's perspectives on attachment, trauma, and substance use via the semistructured Adult Attachment Interview and survey data. The findings illuminate the relationship between these factors and implications for future research and work with this population.

Street children and political violence: a socio-demographic analysis of street children in Rwanda.

OBJECTIVE: The aims were: (1) to examine the profile of African street children and to assess the link between street children in Africa and political violence; (2) to undertake a systematic examination of causal factors of street children in postgenocide Rwanda; and (3) to situate this analysis in the context of the socio-cultural and political impact of the genocide on Rwandan communities. METHOD: Observational mapping examined the profile and activities of Rwandan street children. Structured interviews were carried out with 290 children in four regional towns to obtain information on socio-demographic, familial, educational background, causal factors surrounding street life involvement, psychological well-being, and relationship to the street. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews examined the relationship between street children and the broader Rwandan society. RESULTS: Street children in Rwanda were predominantly adolescent boys, almost half of whom were homeless (42%), with a high proportion of orphaned children or children who had lost at least one parent. Two variables predicted homelessness: child's guardian and reason for being in street. Qualitative accounts of children conveyed the impact of death of family members, repatriation, imprisonment of parents, and poverty on their lives. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis highlighted the need for community based support for children in alternative guardianship care and for policies to support the reintegration of male youths in postconflict welfare strategies as prevention strategies for street migration.

Social network analysis for health and social interventions among Kenyan scavenging street children.

Street children are a high priority for health policy and service planning in Kenya. Poverty, wars, famine and disease have resulted in street children having a persistent presence in African cities and towns. The Maastricht Social Network Analysis (MSNA) was implemented as the core instrument in a battery to measure the health status of the street children. Owing to the absence of census data of street children in Kenya and the difficulty in tracking this mobile population, we implemented a mixed snowball and convenience sampling design to recruit research subjects. Three hundred street and orphanage children, and 100 primary school children as a control group, were included in the study. The MSNA provided a social diagnosis that complements the clinical diagnosis of the health status of the sample. Only one main methodological question is presented: is the MSNA applicable to describe the personal social networks of (1). children and of (2). people living in a Kenyan culture? Qualitative field observations, key informant interviews and focus groups inform the adaptation of the MSNA instrument, and improve its face validity. A case series analysis is presented. The main result is that the street children population consists of distinct subgroups defined by the UNICEF classification as 'on' and 'of' the street and by gender. Street children networks have some notable deficiencies depending on the subgroup. Constant across the groups is the deficiency of service providers in their networks. The conclusion is that the MSNA is a suitable instrument for obtaining a social diagnosis and gathering other useful information that helps in understanding the social and health backgrounds, status and daily experiences of Kenyan scavenging street children. Applying the MSNA protocol was successful in the diagnosis and interpretation of the findings.

Challenges faced by homeless sexual minorities: comparison of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender homeless adolescents with their heterosexual counterparts.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to identify differences between gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) homeless youths and their heterosexual counterparts in terms of physical and mental health difficulties. METHODS: A sample of 84 GLBT adolescents was matched in regard to age and self-reported gender with 84 heterosexual adolescents. The 2 samples were compared on a variety of psychosocial variables. RESULTS: GLBT adolescents left home more frequently, were victimized more often, used highly addictive substances more frequently, had higher rates of psychopathology, and had more sexual partners than heterosexual adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Homeless youths who identify themselves as members of sexual minority groups are at increased risk for negative outcomes. Recommendations for treatment programs and implications for public health are discussed.

Health problems of street children in Eldoret, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: The street children phenomenon is an increasing problem in most cosmopolitan cities of the world including Eldoret, which is a fast growing town. With the growth of the town so is the increasing number of street children. It is therefore important to have baseline data on their health problems. OBJECTIVE: To determine the health problems of street children in Eldoret. DESIGN: A prospective and descriptive study. SETTING: Eldoret Town, Kenya. SUBJECTS: Eldoret street children aged 5-21 years. Type 1 street children were the "on" the street children who spent most of their time on the streets but went home in the evenings, type 2 were the "of" the street children who spent all their time in the streets and had severed their links with their families and did not have a home to go to, type 3 were abandoned children staying in a shelter and type 4 were normal primary school children. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety one children were studied. There were 38, 47, 56 and 50 types 1, 2, 3 and 4 children, respectively. The most common symptom was cough (28.9%) while frequent diagnosis was upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (12.1%) followed by skin disease (50.9%) as the leading disease category. The common drug of addiction was cigarette (37.6%) and none of the school children was taking any drug of addiction. The prevalence of disease was 467 per 1000 children. Type 2 street children had the highest prevalence of disease (833 per 1000 children). Shelter children had the least disease prevalence (474 per 1000). Factors determining prevalence of disease were the same as in normal children. The malnutrition rate was high with 31.1% and 41.9% of the children being stunted and underweight, respectively. Type 3 children had the highest rate of malnutrition with 51.8% and 64.3% being stunted and underweight. CONCLUSION: Street children have a high incidence of childhood diseases. Factors determining occurrence of disease among street children are as in normal children. Respiratory and skin diseases were the leading causes of morbidity. Drug abuse was rampant among the street children but none of the school children abused any drug. Sexually transmitted infections were not prevalent. Most of the shelter children were malnourished. RECOMMENDATIONS: The government of Kenya should provide free health care for street children in public hospitals. Further studies should be carried out on the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases based on laboratory testing and on the causes of the injuries suffered by the street children. The reasons for the poor nutritional status of the shelter children should be analysed and appropriate measures taken.

Homeless children.

Homeless children are an "invisible" population within our community. A review is provided of the economic, social, medical and dental conditions of these children.

La niñez abandonada en bolivia / Lost children in Bolivia

Contiene: El menor abandonado , problematica nacional; atencion estatal al menor politicas y perspectivas de la Junta Nacional de Solidaridad y Desarrollo Social; Exposiciones y comentarios; problematica derivada de la atencion institucional; propuesta para una politica de atencion al menor; inventario de Instituciones Estatales y Privadas de atencion al menor, Directorio de Instituciones Estatales y Privadas de atencion al menor; directorio de Instituciones de Proteccion al menor en orden Nacional,Estatal y Privadas; otras Instituciones cuyos programas contribuyen a familia y menor

La niñez abandonada en bolivia / Lost children in Bolivia

Contiene: El menor abandonado , problematica nacional; atencion estatal al menor politicas y perspectivas de la Junta Nacional de Solidaridad y Desarrollo Social; Exposiciones y comentarios; problematica derivada de la atencion institucional; propuesta para una politica de atencion al menor; inventario de Instituciones Estatales y Privadas de atencion al menor, Directorio de Instituciones Estatales y Privadas de atencion al menor; directorio de Instituciones de Proteccion al menor en orden Nacional,Estatal y Privadas; otras Instituciones cuyos programas contribuyen a familia y menor