Examining Healthcare Utilization Patterns, School Attendance, Behavior, and Academic Performance Among School-aged Children Identified as Homeless

1 online resource (125 pages) : PDF

2016

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

There is little research on healthcare utilization patterns, attendance, academic performance, and behavior among school-aged children experiencing homelessness examined by homelessness type. The McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act (Pub. L. 100-77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 482, 42 USC 11431 et seq.) as amended by S.896 The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2011) defines homelessness among school-aged children using four categories: (1) literally homeless, (2) living in a shelter, (3) living with friends or family (i.e., "doubled up"), or (4) living in a motel (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). Considering that homeless children in families comprise the fastest-growing group of homeless persons in the United States (AHAR, 2013, part 2), this research set out to examine housing type as the basis of a typology of student homelessness. The effect of housing type on student’s health, academic, attendance, and behavioral outcomes was examined to better understand this subpopulation of individuals living as homeless. Results indicated that children living as literally homeless experienced significantly worse outcomes in behavior when compared to the other housing type categories and children living as literally homeless and children living in a motel experienced worse outcomes in attendance when compared to the other housing type categories. Children living as literally homeless also experienced significantly more healthcare encounters overall and by type when compared to students experiencing other types of homelessness. When academic, attendance, and behavior outcomes were examined by housing type distinguishing between students that experienced higher healthcare encounters and students with lower healthcare encounters, results indicated that students living as literally homeless and living in a motel experienced worse outcomes than students living in a shelter and students living doubled up with family or friends. These results revealed that a small percentage of the student homeless population may require more intensive services and better alignment of resources to address their needs.

doctoral dissertations

Education
Medical sciences

Ph.D.

Homeless
School-Age
Typology

Health Services Research

Thomas, Lori
Huet, Yvette

Blanchette, Christopher
Boyd, Suzanne
Lambert, Richard
Spencer, Melanie

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2016.

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