title: Residential trajectories of street youth-the Montréal Cohort Study.
abstract: Little is known about the course of homelessness among youth between the ages of 18 and 25 despite the many characteristics distinguishing them from adolescents and from older street-involved populations. We examined the residential trajectories of homeless young adults in Montréal over a 21-month period and identified determinants of various trajectory profiles. The 365 study participants (79 % men, mean age 21.9 years) were followed for an average of 515 days (range 81-630 days). We assessed housing status with a questionnaire based on the residential follow-back calendar designed by the New Hampshire Dartmouth Research Center. Using latent growth analysis to examine achievement of residential stability over time, we observed three different trajectories: group 1 presented a low probability of housing throughout the entire study period; group 2 showed a high probability of early and stable housing; group 3 displayed a fluctuating pattern. Protective correlates of residential stability included high school education, birth in Canada, and presence of mental health problems. Drug abuse or dependence was associated with a decreased probability of housing.
authors: Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, Québec, Canada, elise.roy@usherbrooke.ca.
authors: Élise
authors: É
authors: Roy
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Robert
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Fournier
authors: Éric
authors: É
authors: Vaillancourt
authors: Jill
authors: J
authors: Vandermeerschen
authors: Jean-François
authors: JF
authors: Boivin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult