Purpose

Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) often engage in “couch-surfing,” or frequently moving from one tenuous living arrangement to another. Understanding the characteristics and risk factors associated with couch-surfing is necessary to designing adequate responses to youth homelessness. The present study aims to investigate factors associated with youth at risk of couch-surfing or sleeping on the streets relative to staying in a shelter.

Methods

The present study used Homeless Management Information System administrative data sourced from 16 communities across the U.S. between January 2015 and February 2017 (n = 9,417). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to explore correlates (e.g., demographics, homeless histories, risk and victimization, behavioral health, and self-sufficiency) of couch-surfing or sleeping on the streets relative to staying in an emergency shelter program.

Results

YEH identifying as female; Black or another non-Latinx youth of color; or as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, or another sexual orientation (LGBQ+) were at greater risk of couch-surfing relative to staying in a shelter. YEH who threatened to harm themselves or others in the preceding 12 months or who attributed their homelessness to an abusive relationship were significantly more likely to either be couch-surfing or on the streets.

Discussion

Service providers must recognize and validate the vulnerabilities and risks experienced by couch-surfing YEH in order to help reduce barriers to accessing services faced by this population. Federal definitions of homelessness should be aligned to correct systemic biases and more accurately reflect the realities of how youth experience homelessness.

中文翻译：

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谁在沙发上冲浪，谁在街上？种族和性少数青年在无家可归经历中的差异

目的

经历无家可归（YEH）的青年经常从事“沙发冲浪”，或经常从一种脆弱的生活安排转移到另一种生活安排。了解与沙发冲浪相关的特征和风险因素对于设计对青年无家可归的适当应对措施是必要的。本研究旨在调查与住在避难所相关的青少年在沙发上冲浪或露宿街头的风险因素。

方法

本研究使用了 2015 年 1 月至 2017 年 2 月期间来自美国 16 个社区的无家可归者管理信息系统管理数据（n = 9,417）。多项逻辑回归模型用于探索沙发冲浪或露宿街头与留在紧急避难所计划中的相关性（例如，人口统计、无家可归者历史、风险和受害、行为健康和自给自足）。

结果

YEH 识别为女性；黑色或其他非拉丁裔青年；或者因为女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、质疑或其他性取向 (LGBQ+) 相对于住在庇护所中，在沙发上冲浪的风险更大。在过去 12 个月内威胁要伤害自己或他人或将无家可归归因于虐待关系的 YEH 更有可能在沙发上冲浪或在街上。

讨论

服务提供商必须认识到并验证在沙发上冲浪 YEH 所经历的漏洞和风险，以帮助减少这一人群所面临的访问服务的障碍。联邦对无家可归的定义应与纠正系统性偏见保持一致，并更准确地反映青年如何经历无家可归的现实。