Table 1.
Descriptive statistics (weighted): Homeless youth background characteristics, network characteristics, and substance use (N=419)
| Variables | Percent | Mean | S.D. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background characteristics | |||
| Age (in years) | 20.09 | 2.80 | |
| Gender (male)1 | 63.36 | ||
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| African American | 23.91 | ||
| Hispanic | 20.00 | ||
| White | 34.03 | ||
| Native American/Alaskan Native | 1.59 | ||
| Native Hawaiian | 1.73 | ||
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.66 | ||
| Other or multiracial | 17.08 | ||
| At least high school (GED) | 46.59 | ||
| Sexual orientation | 35.73 | ||
| Heterosexual | 64.81 | ||
| Homosexual | 11.04 | ||
| Bisexual | 21.77 | ||
| Other | 2.39 | ||
| Any time in jail or juvenile facility | |||
| 0 days | 31.96 | ||
| 1 – 30 days | 31.28 | ||
| 31 or more days | 36.76 | ||
| Employment part- or full-time | 14.30 | ||
| Never returned to home or guardian after leaving The first time |
48.12 | ||
| Age first left home or guardian | |||
| 13 or younger | 20.95 | ||
| 14 – 15 | 22.33 | ||
| 16 – 17 | 26.72 | ||
| 18 or older | 30.00 | ||
| Personal network characteristics | |||
| Type of alters | |||
| Number of alters who are: | |||
| relatives | 3.61 | 3.80 | |
| Sex partners | 1.66 | 2.12 | |
| adults in positions of responsibility2 | 0.55 | 1.40 | |
| Others3 | 14.73 | 3.96 | |
| How (non-relative) alter was met4 | |||
| Number of alters who were met: in a shelter, drop-in center, or on the street5 |
7.13 | 6.51 | |
| through treatment or self-help group (e.g., AA/NA) |
0.05 | 0.36 | |
| in criminal justice system | 0.10 | 0.56 | |
| through AOD use | 0.25 | 2.16 | |
| Behavior of alters | |||
| Number of alters who: drink heavily |
8.79 | 7.92 | |
| Use drugs | 9.99 | 8.02 | |
| attends school regularly | 4.29 | 4.90 | |
| has a regular or steady job | 6.39 | 5.40 | |
| Support from alters | |||
| Number of alters | |||
| respondent can count on to care about him/her | 7.15 | 6.24 | |
| respondent can count on to lend money, provide food, etc. |
6.00 | 6.77 | |
| Multiplexity | |||
| Number of alters who: | |||
| Drink, provide support | 3.96 | 5.86 | |
| Drink, do not provide support | 4.83 | 6.00 | |
| Do not drink, provide support | 4.80 | 5.13 | |
| Neither drink nor provide support | 6.41 | 6.61 | |
| Use drugs, provide support | 4.19 | 5.82 | |
| Use drugs, do not provide support | 5.80 | 6.53 | |
| Do not use drugs, provide support | 4.57 | 5.15 | |
| Neither use drugs nor provide support | 5.44 | 6.27 | |
| Network structure | |||
| Density | |||
| Overall density of network | 0.16 | 0.21 | |
| Alcohol sub-group density | 0.17 | 0.25 | |
| Drug sub-group density | 0.16 | 0.24 | |
| Alcohol or Drug sub-group density | 0.17 | 0.24 | |
| Outcomes | |||
| Substance use, past 30 days | |||
| Alcohol | |||
| Any days of alcohol use | 67.56 | ||
| Average number of drinks consumed per day | 2.61 | 8.27 | |
| Cigarette smoking | |||
| Any days of cigarette smoking | 72.00 | ||
| Average number of cigarettes smoked per day | 8.64 | 12.17 | |
| Marijuana | |||
| Any times marijuana use | 66.40 | ||
| Number of times used marijuana | 57.50 | 140.84 |
Male gender refers to males who also reported having a penis.
For each of two respondents, one alter identified as an adult in a position of responsibility was additionally identified as a sex partner. These two alters were re-classified as sex partners to ensure mutually exclusive categories for this variable.
”Others” were neither relatives, sex partners, or adults in positions of authority. These “other” individuals included, for example, co-workers and other shelter residents.
List is not exhaustive thus numbers do not add up to 20.
Alters met in shelters, drop-ins and street do not include service providers in those settings.