Abstract
The role that environmental factors play in driving HIV and STI transmission risk among street-involved youth has not been well examined. We examined factors associated with number of sex partners using quasi-Poisson regression and consistent condom use using logistic regression among participants enroled in the At Risk Youth Study (ARYS). Among 529 participants, 253 (47.8%) reported multiple partners while only 127 (24.0%) reported consistent condom use in the past 6 months. Homelessness was inversely associated with consistent condom use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=0.47, p=0.008), while unstable housing was positively associated with greater numbers of sex partners (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]=1.44, p=0.010). These findings indicate the need for interventions which modify environmental factors that drive risk among young street-involved populations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 783-790 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Health and Place |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The study was supported by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant R01 DA011591 and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant HHP-67262. Thomas Kerr is supported by a New Investigator Award from CIHR and a Scholar Award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR). Jean Shoveller is supported by a Senior Scholar Award from MSFHR and a Public Health Chair in Improving Youth Sexual Health from CIHR. Brandon Marshall is supported by a Canada Graduate Scholarship from CIHR and a Junior Graduate Trainee Award from MSFHR.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Health(social science)
- Sociology and Political Science
- Life-span and Life-course Studies
