Public Health Homeless Youth

Question: Discuss about thePublic Healthfor Homeless Youth. Answer: Introduction Homelessness is one of the challenges that have been faced by the Australians. For a very long time, many people in Australia have been living in a state of primary, secondary and tertiary homelessness. The problem of homelessness affects everyone in the society including the children, youth, adults and the elderly (Slade, et al., 2014). Despite living in deplorable conditions, the homes are still subjected to stigmatization in the community. The Plight of the Homeless Youth There are so many Australian youth who are homeless. There are youth who are categorized as primary, secondary and tertiary homeless depending on the way they live. Generally, the Australian youth end up becoming homeless because of socioeconomic reasons. Research has established that many youth become homeless as a result of family disputes, violence, catastrophes, or crises faced in their respective families (Wood, Batterham, Cigdem Mallett, 2014). For example, when a family breaks up, children can be compelled to leave home and become homeless. Dimensions of the Stigmatization The homeless youth in Australia are subjected to lots of discriminatory practices. The society has developed a stigma towards the homeless youth. They have been seriously discriminated in nearly all the sectors of the economy. The homeless youth are looked down upon denied opportunities to enjoy healthcare services, education, recreation, employment opportunities (Kidd, Kenny McKinstry, 2014). Some employers do not prefer to hire homeless youth because they are viewed as misfits who have no benefits to bring to the organization (Manuel Crowe, 2014). There have been many occasions in which the homeless youth have been denied access to restaurants, shopping malls, and recreational parks. Meaning, they are isolated and excluded from the rest of the community. The discrimination of the homeless youth has negatively impacted on them in many ways. First and foremost, it has affected their well-being. The seclusion and the prejudices suffered have made the homeless youth to suffer psychologically, emotionally, and mentally. The stigmatization has negatively impacted on the health of the youth because it has made them to undergo depression, stress, and trauma (Toolis Hammack, 2015). Besides, the discrimination of the homeless youth has denied an opportunity to prosper. The fact that the homeless youth cannot get jobs implies that they cannot empower themselves and improve their economic status. How the Stigma can be Constructively Addressed The stigmatization and discrimination done to the homeless youth should be stopped because it does not benefit them in any way. To eradicate it, measures should be taken to sensitize the community members to refrain from discriminating upon the homeless youth. The society should not stigmatize the homeless youth because it only causes harm to the victims. The behavior change should be emphasized at personal and institutional levels (Parsell, Jones Head, 2013). The other measure that should be taken to eliminate stigmatization and discrimination of the homeless youth is the formulation and enforcement of protectionist policies by the government. If the government outlaws the practice, no one will discriminate and stigmatize the homeless youth anymore (Corrigan, Powell Michaels, 2014). Conclusion Homelessness has been a major issue of concern in Australia. The homeless youth, just like any other homeless people are stigmatized and discriminated by the rest of the society. The stigmatization has negatively impacted on the prosperity and health of the victims. Policy changes should be put in place to outlaw the practice and sensitize the society to refrain from it. References Corrigan, P. W., Powell, K. J., Michaels, P. J., (2014). Brief battery for measurement of stigmatizing versus affirming attitudes about mental illness. Psychiatry research, 215(2), 466-470. Kidd, S., Kenny, A., McKinstry, C. (2014). From experience to action in recovery-oriented mental health practice: A first person inquiry. Action Research, 12(4), 357-373. Manuel, J., Crowe, M. (2014). Clinical responsibility, accountability, and risk aversion in mental health nursing: A descriptive, qualitative study. International journal of mental health nursing, 23(4), 336-343. Parsell, C., Jones, A., Head, B. (2013). Policies and programmes to end homelessness in Australia: Learning from international practice. International Journal of Social Welfare,22(2), 186-194. Toolis, E. E., Hammack, P. L. (2015). The lived experience of homeless youth: A narrative approach. Qualitative Psychology, 2(1), 50. Wood, G., Batterham, D., Cigdem, M., Mallett, S. (2014). The spatial dynamics of homelessness in Australia 20012011. Slade, M., et al., (2014). Uses and abuses of recovery: implementing recovery?oriented practices in mental health systems. World Psychiatry, 13(1), 12-20.