Drug use patterns and predictors among homeless youth: Results of an ecological momentary assessment

Figures & data

Table 1. Participant demographics and drug use behaviors.

	Total Sample/Total survey n (%)*	Alcohol Use	Drug Use	Marijuana
Participants	66	21	40	36
Age
≤20	30 (45.5)	7 (33.3)	20 (50.0)	19 (52.8)
>20	36 (54.5)	14 (66.7)	20 (50.0)	17 (47.2)
Gender Identity
Male	41 (62.1)	11 (52.3)	25 (62.5)	22 (61.1)
Female	24 (36.4)	9 (42.9)	14 (35.0)	13 (36.1)
Other***	1 (1.5)	1 (4.8)	1 (2.5)	1 (2.8)
Race
Black	43 (65.2)	14 (66.7)	25 (62.5)	23 (63.9)
White	7 (10.6)	2 (9.5)	4 (10.0)	3 (8.3)
Other**	16 (24.2)	5 (23.8)	11 (27.5)	10 (27.8)
Ethnicity
Hispanic	8 (12.1)	3 (14.3)	4 (10.0)	3 (8.3)
Sexual Orientation
Heterosexual	52 (78.8)	11 (52.4)	28 (70.0)	25 (69.4)
LGBT	14 (21.3)	10 (47.6)	12 (30.0)	11 (30.6)
Foster History	23 (34.8)	8 (38.1)	15 (37.5)	15 (41.7)
Age of First Homeless	16.86	16.68	16.56	16.61
Survey Count	860	44	214	183
Work Days	54 (6.3)	6 (13.6)	11 (5.1)	7 (3.8)
School Days	52 (6.0)	10 (22.7)	9 (4.2)	5 (2.7)
Daily Shelter Status
Sheltered	108 (12.6)	2 (4.5)	11 (5.1)	9 (4.9)
Unsheltered	293 (34.3)	21 (47.7)	79 (36.9)	61 (33.3)
Unstably Housed	405 (47.1)	21 (47.7)	122 (57.0)	111 (60.7)
Perceived Stress	7.69	7.55	7.77	7.67
Discrimination	65 (7.6)	7 (15.9)	28 (13.1)	20 (10.9)
Pornography Use	152 (17.7)	13 (29.5)	100 (46.7)	85 (46.4)

* Number of participants who engaged in the specified behavior at least once; ** Other = American Indian or Alaska Native; Multi-racial; Something else; *** Other = transgender, non-binary gender

Table 2. Drug use frequency.

	Survey Count(%)* (percentage %)	Total Valid Observations	Participants(%)
Drug Use Urge	207 (25.9)	799	40 (60.6)
Drug Use	214 (26.6)	804	40 (60.6)
Marijuana	183 (85.5)	214	36 (54.5)
Kush/K2 (synthetic marijuana, incense packs)	27 (12.6)	214	13 (19.7)
Crack	9 (4.2)	214	9 (13.6)
Cocaine	9 (4.2)	214	8 (12.1)
Bath salts	19 (8.9)	214	7 (10.6)
Xanax, valium, pain pills	6 (2.8)	214	5 (7.6)
Hallucinogens (LSD)	12 (5.6)	214	5 (7.6)
Ecstasy (MDMA, Molly)	7 (3.3)	214	4 (6.1)
Heroin	6 (2.8)	214	4 (6.1)
Injected drugs	3 (1.4)	214	3 (4.5)
Other drugs	4 (1.9)	214	3 (4.5)
Cough syrup (to get high)	1 (0.0)	214	1 (1.5)
PCP	0 (0.0)	214	0 (0.0)

* Number of surveys or participants who engaged in the specified behavior at least once.

Table 3. EMA compliance data.

Total Observations (Daily + Random EMA) (n = 21*5)				Daily EMA (n = 21)			Random EMA (n = 21*4)
	Mean (%)	SD	1st Q-3rd Q	Mean (%)	SD	1st Q-3rd Q	Mean (%)	SD	1st Q-3rd Q
Total Sample	46.78 (44.6)	28.52	23–72 (21.9–68.6)	13.03 (62.05)	6.32	9–19 (42.9–90.5)	33.6 (40.0)	22.8	15–53 (17.9–63.1)
Race
Black	45.47 (43.3)	28.72	22–72 (21.0–68.6)	12.91 (61.5)	6.51	8–19 (38.1–90.5)	32.56 (38.8)	22.8	15–53 (17.9–63.1)
White	46.71 (44.5)	29.91	10–65 (9.5–61.9)	12.86 (61.24)	7.08	5–18 (23.8–85.7)	33.86 (40.3)	23.46	5–47 (6.0–56.0)
Other	50.6 (48.2)	28.95	24–77 (22.9–73.3)	13.44 (64.0)	5.89	9–19 (42.9–90.5)	23.88 (43.3)	23.88	15–59 (17.9–70.2)
Gender
Male	42.08 (40.1)	24.83	23.5–61 (22.4–58.1)	12.27 (58.4)	6.16	8–18 (38.1–85.7)	29.55 (35.2)	19.45	15–43.5 (17.9–51.8)
Female	52.88 (50.4)	32.60	19.5–82.5 (18.6–78.6)	14 (66.7)	6.51	9.5–19 (45.2–90.5)	38.88 (46.3)	26.32	10.5–63 (12.5–75.0)
Other	89 (84.8)	/	/	21 (100)	/	/	68 (81.0)	/	/
Age
≤20	43.83 (41.7)	26.81	24–63 (22.9–60.0)	12.43 (59.2)	5.85	9–18 (42.9–85.7)	31.03 (36.9)	21.61	16–46 (19.0–54.8)
>20	49.17 (46.8)	30.00	22.5–77 (21.4–73.3)	13.53 (64.4)	6.74	8.5–19 (40.5–90.5)	35.64 (42.4)	23.77	15–58.5 (17.9–69.6)
Sexual Orientation
Heterosexual	46.82 (44.6)	28.36	22–72 (20.9–68.6)	12.96 (61.7)	6.25	8–19 (38.1–90.5)	33.65 (40.1)	22.66	15–53 (17.9–63.1)
LGBT	46.64 (44.4)	30.17	29–80 (27.6–76.2)	13.29 (63.3)	6.84	10–19 (47.6–90.5)	33.36 (40.0)	24.05	19–59 (22.6–70.2)

Table 4. GLMM coefficients and odds ratios for predictors of drug use.

Fixed Effects	B	SE	Exp(B)	z	p
Intercept	−2.446	0.393	0.087	−6.231	<0.001
Discrimination	1.327	0.609	3.769	2.178	0.029
Pornography Use	1.855	0.435	6.390	4.264	<0.001
Alcohol Use	1.531	0.440	4.621	3.480	0.001
Drug Use Urge	3.855	0.616	47.248	6.256	<0.001
Alcohol Use Urge	1.647	0.871	5.193	1.892	0.058
Urge to Steal	4.027	1.026	56.109	3.927	<0.001

*Includes observations from 59 subjects over 630 days and 222 days of

drug use