Mental Health Problems in Young People with Experience of Homelessness

DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS GRAPHIC

Authors Kate Hodgson, Katherine Shelton, Marianne van den Bree, Cardiff University

Published by Evidence Based Mental Health, July 2014

SUMMARY

The research team wanted to examine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders such as substance misuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among young people living in the UK who had experience of homelessness. They also wanted to investigate the extent to which young homeless people use health and mental health services.

It is tricky to carry out longitudinal studies with young homeless people as they can be hard to track. The researchers recruited 16- to 24-year-olds through youth homelessness charity Llamau, which operates in South Wales, and carried out two interviews with them, eight to 12 months apart. They kept contact with the young people between interviews through birthday cards, a newsletter or a nominated friend or relative the young person said they would keep in touch with throughout the study period. Participants were rewarded with a £20 high street voucher for both interviews. A total of 120 young people took part in the first interview and 90 in the follow-up interview. The average age of the young people taking part was 17.7 years and just over half (51.1 per cent) were under 18.