Polysubstance use among youth experiencing homelessness: The role of trauma, mental health, and social network composition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Substance use is common among youth experiencing homelessness (YEH). However, less is known about the use of multiple substances (polysubstance use), or factors associated with polysubstance use among YEH. The present study sought to identify subgroups of YEH based on their recent polysubstance use behavior, and investigate traumatic experiences, mental health and social network composition as predictors.

Methods

YEH (N = 1,032; M_age = 21.3) from three drop-in centers in Los Angeles completed an in-person survey and social network interview between October 2011 and June 2013. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subgroups of youth based on nine types of substance use in the past 30 days; latent class logistic regression was used to identify

SUBMITTER: DiGuiseppi GT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7606652 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature