Correlates of Alcohol Consumption and Drug Injection among Homeless Youth: A Case Study in the Southeast of Iran

Background: Alcohol use and drug injection are prevalent among homeless youths. The aim of this study wasto identify the associated factors of alcohol consumption and drug injection among homeless youths aged۱۸-۲۹ years.Methods: Data on ۲۰۲ homeless youths (۱۱۱ males and ۹۱ females) were collected using a standardizedquestionnaire and face-to-face interview. Lasso logistic regression was applied to determine the impact ofassociated factors on alcohol consumption and drug injection.Findings: The mean age of the participants was ۲۶.۳۰ ± ۳.۱۹ years. Also, the prevalence of alcoholconsumption and drug injection was ۳۳.۰% [۹۵% confidence interval (CI): ۳۰-۳۶] and ۴.۰% (۹۵% CI: ۰-۸),respectively; ۶ people (۳.۰%) consumed alcohol and injected drugs at the same time. Correlates of alcoholconsumption and drug injection were male sex [odds ratio (OR)Alc = ۵.۷], age (ORAlc = ۰.۹۶ and ORDI = ۰.۹۸),bachelor or higher education level (ORAlc = ۱.۳۴), non-Iranian nationality (ORAlc = ۰.۰۵ and ORDI = ۰.۱۸),food score (ORDI = ۰.۹۲), smoking (ORAlc = ۲.۰۵), substance use (ORAlc = ۱.۱۲), opposite sex relationship(ORAlc = ۱.۶), homosexual relationship (ORAlc = ۳.۵۶ and ORDI = ۲.۶۹), and mental disorder (ORAlc = ۰.۹۹).Conclusion: Based on our findings, it seems that the homeless youth are more desired to use alcohol and druginjection, whereas the prevalence of alcohol consumption and drug injection in homeless youth was higherthan general youth population in Iran. Therefore, some suitable solutions are needed to prevent thehomelessness. Also, the effective variables that were identified in this study for alcohol use and drug injectioncan help design and implement beneficial interventions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Homeless youth ، alcohol drinking ، Injections ، Logistic models