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. 2024 Jan:156:107354.
doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107354. Epub 2023 Nov 17.

Associations between service use and behavioral health trajectories among young adults experiencing homelessness

Graham DiGuiseppi  1   2 , Eric R Pedersen  3   4 , Anthony Rodriguez  5 , Elizabeth J D'Amico  4 , Joan S Tucker  4
Affiliations

Associations between service use and behavioral health trajectories among young adults experiencing homelessness

Graham DiGuiseppi et al. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2024 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine associations of service use (housing, mental health, substance use, education, and employment) with depression and substance use disorder (SUD) trajectories among young adults experiencing homelessness.

Method: Secondary data come from 276 young adults who participated in an intervention to reduce substance use and sexual risk behaviors. Participants were recruited from three drop-in centers in Los Angeles County from 2018 to 2020, and completed surveys at baseline, 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-months post-baseline. Latent growth curve models examined trajectories of depression and SUD; service use in the past three months was used to predict growth trajectories.

Results: More frequent use of mental health services (but not other services) at baseline was associated with greater depression symptoms at baseline, linear declines in depression, and a quadratic increase in depression. Service use at baseline was not associated with likelihood of SUD at baseline or changes in SUD over time.

Conclusions: Young adults in most need of behavioral services are likely to receive services for mental health, but not SUD. Use of mental health services may reduce depression symptoms over time, but continuing care may be needed to prevent symptom returns. More work is needed to connect young adults with SUD treatment and improve effectiveness of these services.

Keywords: Depression; Drop-in center; Homelessness; Service use; Substance use; Young adult.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Trajectories of depression symptoms (PHQ-8 Score).
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Trajectories of “High” Likelihood of Substance Use Disorder (GAIN-SS = 3).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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