Efron D, Sewell J R, Horn M, Jewell F
Centre for Community Child Health & Ambulatory Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC.
Med J Aust. 1996;165(11-12):630-3. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1996.tb138670.x.
To determine the prevalence of health and behaviour problems in a sample of children in homeless families and of psychological problems in their parents, and to assess the use of health services by homeless families.
A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based prevalence survey.
Supported accommodation provided by a welfare service in Melbourne between May 1994 and June 1995.
51 children from 31 families soon after housing crises.
More than one-third of all children had total behaviour problems scores in the "deviant" range (i.e., requiring mental health referral). Intellectual disability/developmental delay, skin problems, vision problems, recurrent headache, and asthma or other breathing problems were more prevalent in these homeless children than in a large Australian normative population. Their mothers scored higher than a large normative sample on the mental health questionnaire, most markedly for "anxiety-insomnia", "severe depression" and total score. Cost of treatment and transport difficulties were seen as barriers to using health care services.
Australian health-care practitioners should be aware of the health and health service access problems of children in homeless families, and work to minimise their physical, emotional, developmental and academic disadvantages. Psychological support services should be available for homeless families, particularly for mothers.
确定无家可归家庭儿童样本中健康和行为问题的患病率以及其父母心理问题的患病率，并评估无家可归家庭对医疗服务的利用情况。
一项基于问卷的横断面患病率调查。
1994年5月至1995年6月间墨尔本一家福利机构提供的支持性住所。
31个家庭中的51名儿童，在住房危机后不久。
超过三分之一的儿童行为问题总分处于“异常”范围（即需要转介至心理健康机构）。与澳大利亚大量正常人群相比，这些无家可归儿童中智力残疾/发育迟缓、皮肤问题、视力问题、反复头痛以及哮喘或其他呼吸问题更为普遍。他们的母亲在心理健康问卷上的得分高于大量正常样本，在“焦虑-失眠”“重度抑郁”和总分方面最为明显。治疗费用和交通困难被视为利用医疗服务的障碍。
澳大利亚医疗从业者应意识到无家可归家庭儿童的健康和获得医疗服务的问题，并努力将他们在身体、情感、发育和学业方面的劣势降至最低。应为无家可归家庭，特别是母亲，提供心理支持服务。
