title: Shared risk: who engages in substance use with American homeless youth?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify characteristics of social network members with whom homeless youth engage in drinking and drug use.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multi-stage probability sample of homeless youth completed a social network survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one shelters, drop-in centers and known street hangouts in Los Angeles County.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 419 homeless youth, aged 13-24 years (mean age = 20.09, standard deviation = 2.80).
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondents described 20 individuals in their networks, including their substance use and demographics, and the characteristics of the relationships they shared, including with whom they drank and used drugs. Dyadic, multi-level regressions identified predictors of shared substance use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shared drinking was more likely to occur with recent sex partners [odds ratio (OR) = 2.64, confidence interval (CI): 1.67, 4.18], drug users (OR = 4.57, CI: 3.21, 6.49), sexual risk takers (OR = 1.71, CI: 1.25, 2.33), opinion leaders (OR = 1.69, CI: 1.42, 2.00), support providers (OR = 1.41, CI: 1.03, 1.93) and popular people (those with high degree scores in the network) (OR = 1.07, CI: 1.01, 1.14). Shared drug use was more likely to occur with recent sex partners (OR = 2.44, CI: 1.57, 3.80), drinkers (OR = 4.53, CI: 3.05, 6.74), sexual risk takers (OR = 1.51, CI: 1.06, 2.17), opinion leaders (OR = 1.24, CI: 1.03, 1.50), support providers (OR = 1.83, CI: 1.29, 2.60) and popular people (OR = 1.16, CI: 1.08, 1.24).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Homeless youth in the United States are more likely to drink or use drugs with those who engage in multiple risk behaviors and who occupy influential social roles (popular, opinion leaders, support providers, sex partners). Understanding these social networks may be helpful in designing interventions to combat substance misuse.
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA. hgreen@rand.org
authors.forename: Harold D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Kayla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de la Haye
authors.forename: Joan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golinelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dyadic analysis; homeless youth; peers; social networks; substance use