Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Oct;67(4):603-605.
doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.013. Epub 2020 Aug 10.

Behavioral Health and Service Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Emerging Adults Currently or Recently Experiencing Homelessness

Joan S Tucker  1 , Elizabeth J D'Amico  2 , Eric R Pedersen  3 , Rick Garvey  2 , Anthony Rodriguez  4 , David J Klein  2
Affiliations

Behavioral Health and Service Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Emerging Adults Currently or Recently Experiencing Homelessness

Joan S Tucker et al. J Adolesc Health. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: This study provides information on how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is affecting emerging adults currently or recently homeless in terms of engagement in protective behaviors, mental health, substance use, and access to services.

Methods: Ninety participants in an ongoing clinical trial of a risk reduction program for homeless, aged 18-25 years, were administered items about COVID-19 between April 10 and July 9, 2020.

Results: Most participants reported engaging in COVID-19 protective behaviors. Past week mental health symptoms were reported by 38%-48% of participants, depending on symptoms. Among those who used substances before the outbreak, 16%-28% reported increased use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. More than half of the participants reported increased difficulty meeting basic needs (e.g., food), and approximately 32%-44% reported more difficulty getting behavioral health services since the outbreak.

Conclusions: Innovative strategies are needed to address the increased behavioral health needs of young people experiencing homelessness during events such as the COVID-19 outbreak.

Keywords: COVID-19; Homelessness; Mental health; Services; Substance use; Young people.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Henry M., Watt R., Mahathey A. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Washington, D.C.: 2020. The 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress. Part 1: Point-in-time estimates of homelessness.
    1. Kulik D.M., Gaetz S., Crowe C. Homeless youth's overwhelming health burden: A review of the literature. Paediatr Child Health. 2011;16:E43–E47. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Edidin J.P., Ganim Z., Hunter S.J. The mental and physical health of homeless youth: A literature review. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2012;43:354–375. - PubMed
    1. Quimby E., Edidin J., Ganim Z. Psychiatric disorders and substance use in homeless youth: A preliminary comparison of San Francisco and Chicago. Behav Sci. 2012;2:186–194. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Whitbeck L.B., Johnson K.D., Hoyt D.R. Mental disorder and comorbidity among runaway and homeless adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2004;35:132–140. - PubMed

Publication types