title: High burden of homelessness among sexual-minority adolescents: findings from a representative Massachusetts high school sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the prevalence of current homelessness among adolescents reporting a minority sexual orientation (lesbian/gay, bisexual, unsure, or heterosexual with same-sex sexual partners) with that among exclusively heterosexual adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We combined data from the 2005 and 2007 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a representative sample of public school students in grades 9 though 12 (n = 6317).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 25% of lesbian/gay, 15% of bisexual, and 3% of exclusively heterosexual Massachusetts public high school students were homeless. Sexual-minority males and females had an odds of reporting current homelessness that was between 4 and 13 times that of their exclusively heterosexual peers. Sexual-minority youths' greater likelihood of being homeless was driven by their increased risk of living separately from their parents or guardians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Youth homelessness is linked with numerous threats such as violence, substance use, and mental health problems. Although discrimination and victimization related to minority sexual orientation status are believed to be important causal factors, research is needed to improve our understanding of the risks and protective factors for homelessness and to determine effective strategies to prevent homelessness in this population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, MA 02115, USA. heather.corliss@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Corliss
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Goodenow
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: S Bryn
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Austin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D019529:Sexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors