Table 1.

Homeless young adult characteristics and experiences by history of foster care

Variables	Never Foster Care (N = 277)		Ever Foster Care (N = 147)
	N	%	N	%
Demographics
Age
18	103	38.5	60	41.4
19	89	33.0	56	38.1
20	75	27.8	30	20.4
21	2	0.7	1	0.1
Race/Ethnicity
Black	153	56.7	86	58.5
White	22	8.1	5	3.4
Hispanic	72	26.7	38	25.9
Other	23	8.5	18	12.2
Gender
Female	174	64.4	91	62.3
Male	96	35.6	55	37.7
Substance Abuse
Cigarette Use	94	35.2	72	50.0**
Marijuana Use	32	12.3	34	23.0**
Alcohol Use	55	22.3	26	20.2
Prior Drug Treatment	32	12.3	34	24.5**
Childhood Abuse
Emotionally Abused	93	34.4	83	56.5***
Physically Abused	72	26.7	82	55.8***
Sexually Abused	37	13.7	45	30.6***
Other Risk Factors
Prior Arrest	112	41.6	82	56.9***
Unemployed	201	75.0	125	85.0*
No HS Diploma	175	66.0	105	71.4
Family Drug Use	85	31.6	65	44.5**

Significant Chi-Square:

^*p < .05

^**p < .01

^***p < .001