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Protective Factors Among Pregnant and Parenting Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Shelter: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

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Abstract

Pregnant and parenting youth experiencing homelessness (PPYEH) face considerable health and socioeconomic challenges. Although protective factors, such as positive adult relationships, are key elements for healthy development throughout adolescence and young adulthood, they remain less understood among PPYEH. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 11 female participants (ages 15–20) in a shelter-based health program, we conducted a qualitative analysis to explore protective factors among PPYEH. Guided by a theory-informed codebook, we identified individual, interpersonal, organizational, and community-level factors that supported the health of PPYEH. Individual factors included youths’ future orientation, sexual health and contraceptive knowledge, understanding/prioritization of personal and child health, self-efficacy and engagement in their parent role, and ability to navigate complex systems. Interpersonal factors included meaningful parent–child relationships and multidimensional support from family and school. Organizational factors included instrumental support from school and shelter, shelter rules and policies, and the benefit of the shelter compared to previous housing circumstances. Community factors included having access to and satisfaction with primary care, easy access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, and a network of professional supports. Societal-level protective factors were not identified. Findings demonstrate the value of understanding and enhancing protective factors within ongoing clinical, educational, and policy efforts to support PPYEH.

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Data Availability

The data from this community-partnered study are not publicly available.

Notes

  1. Quotes were slightly edited for redundancy. Grammar or word choice edits were not made to preserve respondent voice. We opted not to quantify the number of respondents expressing a given theme given the constructivist stance inherent to our qualitative methodology.

  2. Although this was a general takeaway from the data analysis process, systematically assessing whether youth’s responses were factually correct was beyond the scope of this study.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the residents and staff of The Bridge for Youth, as well as Annie-Laurie McRee, DrPH. A preliminary version of this study was presented at the 2021 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Exposition. We acknowledge support from the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (#UL1TR002494), and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (#P2CHD041022); the Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Workforce (#T32HP22239), Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (#T71MC00006-39-02), and Maternal and Child Public Health (#T76MC00005-59-00) training programs; the University of Minnesota Program in Health Disparities Research, and the University of Minnesota Foundation . The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH, HRSA, or US Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. William Jenkins Health Center, LifeLong Medical Care, 150 Harbour Way, Richmond, CA, 94801, USA

    Marvin So

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, 2450 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA

    Marvin So, Sarah M. Kaja & Janna R. Gewirtz O’Brien

  3. Department of Family Studies and Community Development, Liberal Arts Building, Towson University, Suite 2210, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD, 21252, USA

    Pooja Brar

  4. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development, 290 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Christopher J. Mehus

  5. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, Learning and Environmental Sciences Building, University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development, Suite 425, 1954 Buford Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Christopher J. Mehus

  6. The Bridge for Youth, 1111 W 22Nd St, Minneapolis, MN, 55405, USA

    Christina Woodlee

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So, M., Kaja, S.M., Brar, P. et al. Protective Factors Among Pregnant and Parenting Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Shelter: A Qualitative Exploratory Study. ADV RES SCI (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42844-024-00127-2

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