Citation

Estefan LF, Ports KA, Hipp T. Curr. Trauma Rep. 2017; 3(2): 97-103.

Affiliation

Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS F-63, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s40719-017-0082-2

PMID

29456924

PMCID

PMC5812021

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Unaccompanied children (UC) migrating to the USA from the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras are an underserved population at high risk for health, academic, and social problems. These children experience trauma, violence, and other risk factors that are shared among several types of interpersonal violence. RECENT FINDINGS: The trauma and violence experienced by many unaccompanied children, and the subsequent implications for their healthy development into adulthood, indicate the critical need for a public health approach to prevention and intervention. SUMMARY: This paper provides an overview of the violence experienced by unaccompanied children along their migration journey, the implications of violence and trauma for the health and well-being of the children across their lifespan, prevention and intervention approaches for UC resettled in the USA, and suggestions for adapted interventions to best address the unique needs of this vulnerable population.

Language: en

Keywords

Central America; Intervention; Public health; Trauma; Unaccompanied minors; Violence