Essay On Homeless Children

Determinants of health can include genetics, income, nutrition, education, social relationships, gender, access to health care services, and personal behaviors. While a child in a homeless situation may not have the ability to change their genetic makeup, gender, and ethnicity, these factors still affect homeless children in many ways. For example, genetic-related illness may sometimes be exacerbated in a bout of homelessness. Also, there is evidence that shows that African-American and Hispanic children have disproportionately higher rates of homelessness than those of other ethnicities. In addition to genetics and ethnicity, homeless children that are males of a certain age are often excluded from overnight temporary shelters.
A child’s nutritional status is directly affected by homelessness due to the lack of nutritional options at an affordable price which results in children who eat what they can when they can to try to satisfy their hunger. Low socioeconomic status increases a child’s likelihood of being homeless. Also, inadequate income lessens the likelihood that a homeless
Parents can help to modify their child’s lifestyle and offset the effects of homelessness by actively and consistently looking for employment, finding support programs that assist homeless families with children, and seeking help such as rehab or counseling if substance abuse is a factor in their homelessness. The community can help by volunteering their personal time, donating money to shelters as well as toiletries, educational supplies, and clothing. Another way to modify factors associated with homelessness is to support public policy and legislation that supports more funding and resources to shelters and/or programs that aid the