Sexual health of homeless youth: prevalence and correlates of sexually transmissible infections

Abstract

Background: The study examined risk factors for having ever contracted sexually transmissible infections (STI) among a high-risk sample in midwestern USA. Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among 428 homeless youth aged 16–19 years. Assessed correlates included child maltreatment, street exposure, sexual histories, street experiences and substance use. Results: Multivariate analyses revealed that males were 86% less likely to have had STI compared with females (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06–0.31). Blacks were almost four times more likely (AOR = 3.71; 95% CI = 1.80–7.63) and other races were over two times more likely (AOR = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.08–4.67) to have had STI compared with whites. For every one unit increase in the number of times youth ran away, there was a 3% increase in the likelihood of ever having had an STI (AOR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.01–1.06). For every one unit increase in frequency of condom use there was a 61% decrease in the likelihood of an STI (AOR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.10–1.76). Finally, youth who traded sex were approximately 2.5 times more likely to have had STI compared with youth who did not trade sex (AOR = 2.36; 95% CI = 1.04–5.34). None of the remaining correlates approached multivariate significance. Conclusions: The amount of time youth spend on the street, their sexual practices, and their subsistence strategies are important correlates of STI and females and non-whites are particularly vulnerable among this high-risk population.

U.S. Minority Homeless Youth’s Access to and Use of Mobile Phones: Implications for mHealth Intervention Design

“…The most common interests in mHealth programs relating to HIV/STIs, reproductive health, and mental health revealed an urgent need to utilize mHealth strategies in these areas. This is important, as studies have shown that youth experiencing homelessness have disproportionately high rates of mental illness, HIV, and other STIs compared to non-homeless youth and face barriers to accessing health information and services (Marshall et al, 2009;Tyler et al, 2007;Whitbeck et al, 1999). An mHealth platform could be utilized to facilitate access for homeless youth to HIV/STI combination prevention methods (Catalani, Philbrick, Fraser, Mechael, & Israelski, 2013).…”

Correlates of the Sex Trade among African–American Youth Living in Urban Public Housing: Assessing the Role of Parental Incarceration and Parental Substance Use

“…Other scholars point to the reinforcing nature of the relationship between substance use and sex trading (see 23,24 ). Specifically, Tyler et al 25 argue that pressure to pay for drugs may push one to trade sex for money or that drug use may heighten the tendency to engage in the behavior. Evidence also suggests that youth who have ever tried alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs have also traded sex for these substances.…”

Pet Ownership Among Homeless Youth: Associations with Mental Health, Service Utilization and Housing Status

“…National estimates suggest that nearly 2 million youth experience homelessness each year [1-3], and there is a large body of research demonstrating the increased health risks associated with homelessness for these youth [4-6]. Research suggests that pet ownership in the general population may confer a wide range of benefits for health and well-being [7-12].…”