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Childhood risk factors for homelessness among homeless adults

Author

Listed:
  • Koegel, P.
  • Melamid, E.
  • Burnam, M.A.

Abstract

Objectives. This effort used data from the Course of Homelessness study and comparative secondary data on the general population to identify negative childhood and family background experiences that may increase risk for adult homelessness. Methods. Frequencies of negative childhood experiences were examined among a probability sample of 1563 homeless adults. Differences in risk for such experiences were calculated by sex, age cohort, and racial/ethnicity status. Where possible, rates of negative childhood experiences among the homeless were compared with the general population. Results. Substantial numbers of this sample experienced multiple problems as children across several domains: poverty, residential instability, and family problems. Women and Whites disproportionately reported experiences suggestive of personal or family problems; non-Whites disproportionately reported experiences suggestive of poverty. Homeless adults were at increased risk of childhood out-of-home placement, tenure in public housing, and homelessness, but not at greater risk for physical abuse. Women appeared to be at greater risk for sexual abuse. Conclusions. The problems that homeless individuals experience as adults have very clear analogs in their childhoods. Vulnerability to homelessness stems from factors unevenly distributed across age, sex, and race/ethnicity groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Koegel, P. & Melamid, E. & Burnam, M.A., 1995. "Childhood risk factors for homelessness among homeless adults," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 85(12), pages 1642-1649.
  • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1995:85:12:1642-1649_8
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    Cited by:

    1. Rosanna Scutella & Guy Johnson, 2012. "Locating and Designing 'Journeys Home': A Literature Review (Journeys Home: A Longitudinal Study of Factors Affecting Housing Stability)," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2012n11, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    2. Krzysztof Czaderny, 2023. "Explaining Life-Course Differences in Homeless Men Using Family-of-Origin Theory," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 221-231, June.
    3. Maryse Marpsat, 2008. "The ined research on homelessness, 1993-2008," Working Papers 156, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED).
    4. Flouri, Eirini & Buchanan, Ann, 2004. "Childhood families of homeless and poor adults in Britain: A prospective study," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 1-14, February.
    5. Courtney, Mark E. & Zinn, Andrew, 2009. "Predictors of running away from out-of-home care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(12), pages 1298-1306, December.
    6. Adam M. Lippert & Barrett A. Lee, 2021. "Adult and Child Food Insecurity Among Homeless and Precariously-Housed Families at the Close of the Twentieth Century," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 40(2), pages 231-253, April.
    7. Anne Laporte & Stéphanie Vandentorren & Marc-Antoine Détrez & Caroline Douay & Yann Le Strat & Erwan Le Méner & Pierre Chauvin & The Samenta Research Group, 2018. "Prevalence of Mental Disorders and Addictions among Homeless People in the Greater Paris Area, France," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-11, January.
    8. Doucet, Melanie M. & Greeson, Johanna K.P. & Eldeeb, Nehal, 2022. "Independent living programs and services for youth 'aging out' of care in Canada and the U.S.: A systematic review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    9. Michelle Evans-Chase, 2014. "Addressing Trauma and Psychosocial Development in Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth: A Synthesis of the Developmental Neuroscience, Juvenile Justice and Trauma Literature," Laws, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-15, October.
    10. Curry, Susanna R., 2017. "Childhood experiences and housing insecurity in adulthood: The salience of childhood emotional abuse," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 301-309.
    11. Timothy M. Diette & David C. Ribar, 2018. "A Longitudinal Analysis Of Violence And Housing Insecurity," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(3), pages 1602-1621, July.
    12. Robert F. Schoeni & Paul Koegel, 1998. "Economic Resources Of The Homeless: Evidence From Los Angeles," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 16(3), pages 295-308, July.
    13. Maryse Marpsat, 1999. "Les apports réciproques des méthodes quantitatives et qualitatives : le cas particulier des enquêtes sur les personnes sans domicile," Working Papers 79.1, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED).
    14. Bowden, Francesca & Lambie, Ian & Willis, Gwen, 2018. "Road runners: Why youth abscond from out-of-home care in New Zealand," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 535-544.
    15. Min Park, Jung & Metraux, Stephen & Culhane, Dennis P., 2005. "Childhood out-of-home placement and dynamics of public shelter utilization among young homeless adults," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 533-546, May.
    16. Lars Benjaminsen, 2016. "Homelessness in a Scandinavian welfare state: The risk of shelter use in the Danish adult population," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(10), pages 2041-2063, August.
    17. Silver, Ian A. & Lonergan, Holly & Nedelec, Joseph L., 2022. "On the selection of variables in criminology: Adjusting for the descendants of unobserved confounders," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    18. P. Vostanis & V. Tischler & S. Cumella & T. Bellerby, 2001. "Mental Health Problems and Social Supports Among Homeless Mothers and Children Victims of Domestic and Community Violence," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 47(4), pages 30-40, December.
    19. MacConnachie, Lauren & Zhang, Yuan S. & Farina, Mateo & Gutierrez, Carmen & Hoover, Andrew & He, Yuelin & Aiello, Allison E. & Noppert, Grace A., 2024. "The association between incarceration and housing insecurity and advanced immune age during late life," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).
    20. Alexander Dymond & Grace Branjerdporn, 2021. "Factors associated with homelessness referrals for an acute young adult psychiatric unit," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(6), pages 713-719, September.
    21. Daining, Clara & DePanfilis, Diane, 2007. "Resilience of youth in transition from out-of-home care to adulthood," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1158-1178, September.
    22. Cohen-Cline, Hannah & Jones, Kyle & Vartanian, Keri, 2021. "Direct and indirect pathways between childhood instability and adult homelessness in a low-income population," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).

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