TABLE 4—

Differences Between Individuals Reporting More Drugs or Alcohol Use Upon Becoming Homeless and Those Reporting Less or the Same Amount of Drug and Alcohol Use

Demographics	Less or Same Use (n=289)	More Use (n=127)	P	OR (95% CI)
Age	38.3 (±7.9)	40.2 (±9.3)	0.05
Race: African American	86.8 (243)	83.7 (103)	0.42
Gender: male	83.4 (241)	83.5 (106)	0.99
Education: < 12th grade	34.6 (100)	30.2 (38)	0.38
Single/divorced/widowed	96.9 (280)	96.9 (123)	0.99
Veteran	28 (81)	16.5 (21)	0.01
Health Insurance: none	36.9 (106)	52.8 (67)	<0.01	1.6 (1.02, 2.58)
Homeless ≥ 12 months	37.4 (108)	50.4 (64)	0.01	1.4 (0.88, 2.25)
Unemployed	64.7 (187)	63.8 (81)	0.86
Arrested in last 12 mo.	17.3 (50)	27.6 (35)	0.02	1.4 (0.82, 2.48)
Reasons for homeless
No money	67.7 (195)	84.3 (107)	<0.01
No job	62.2 (179)	81.9 (104)	<0.01
Alcohol/drug use	64.1 (184)	78.7 (100)	<0.01	1.68 (0.98, 2.87)
Psychiatric problem	29.9 (86)	29.1 (37)	0.88
Family crisis	27.1 (78)	29.1 (37)	0.67
No general assistance	23.6 (68)	40.2 (51)	0.01
No medical assistance	18.5 (53)	33.9 (43)	0.01
Substance use:
Alcohol	65.4 (189)	89.8 (114)	< 0.01	3.5 (1.85, 6.78)
Cocaine	59.9 (173)	60.6 (77)	0.88
Heroin	17 (49)	9.4 (12)	0.05
Marijuana	28.4 (82)	26.8 (34)	0.74
Two or more drugs	54.3 (157)	63 (80)	0.88
Means of support:
Steady job	14.9 (43)	5.5 (7)	<0.01
Odd jobs	31.1 (90)	42.5 (54)	0.03
Social security	18 (52)	10.2 (13)	0.05
General relief/welfare	36.7 (106)	43.3 (55)	0.20
VA benefits	3.8 (11)	1.6 (2)	0.23
Friends/family	21.1 (61)	29.1 (37)	0.08
Begging/panhandling	8.7 (25)	29.9 (38)	< 0.01	3.0 (1.65, 5.55)
Hustling/stealing	13.8 (40)	30.7 (39)	< 0.01	2.6 (1.32, 5.14)
Selling plasma	7.2 (21)	22.8 (29)	< 0.01