Measuring Up - A Health Surveillance Update on Canadian Children and Youth

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Future Developments - Street Youth Project

Sexual and reproductive health problems affect Canadian youth from all backgrounds and socioeconomic levels. However, street youth are at a particularly high risk for these problems. In one study, street youth reported a cumulative incidence of sexually transmitted diseases of 22% - more than twice the rate found in youth in school.⁽¹³⁾ Despite this increased risk, information focusing on this population is very limited. To address this issue, the Division of STD Prevention and Control in the Bureau of HIV/AIDS, STD and TB is conducting surveillance of street youth in major cities across Canada. In addition to enhanced surveillance of sexually transmitted diseases, the sentinel surveillance program will provide valuable information on the sexual behaviours of Canadian street youth. It is the aim of the program to translate this surveillance information into appropriate and effective disease prevention programs. The success of these interventions can be measured by ongoing surveillance of sexual health and sexual behaviours in this population.

References

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12. UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund). (1998). The Progress of Nations 1998. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
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