Access to Primary Health Care Services for Youth Experiencing Homelessness: “You shouldn’t need a health card to be healthy.”

Abstract

On any given night, thousands of Canadian youth face homelessness in either absolute (living on the street) or relative (couch surfing, staying in emergency shelters) terms. This study explores influences primary health care access among youth experiencing homelessness in a large Canadian urban centre. Using a qualitative research design and convenience sampling, 8 youth participated in in-depth individual interviews and 4 clinicians with expertise in working with youth in primary care settings participated in a facilitated solutions-focused dialogue based on findings from the youth interviews. Data collection occurred from January to November 2016. Main findings included: (1) Youth experiencing homelessness feel powerless when interacting with health care providers, (2) Health care systems exist as rule-based bureaucracies and (3) Homeless youth are in survival mode when it comes to their health. The authors offer recommendations to promote more equitable access to primary health care services for homeless youth.