Factors associated with health-compromising behavior among the homeless

This exploratory study examined a set of sociodemographic, risk, and protective factors associated with health-compromising behavior among the homeless. One hundred and sixty-one homeless adults living in a midsize, southern metropolitan area were surveyed. Information was collected using structured in-depth interviews that assessed residential and event histories, life circumstances, mental and physical health symptoms, and health-related risk behaviors (drug and alcohol use, risky sexual practices, sleeping outdoors, aggressive behavior, and weapon possession). Descriptive results showed differences in health-compromising behavior for ascribed characteristics such as age, race, and gender. Younger people, nonwhites, and men took more risks. Multivariate results indicated that while sociodemographic risk factors were important predictors of health-compromising behavior for people who are homeless, other variables, including childhood memories, victimization, and local nativism, were also significant. The implications of these findings are explored in the larger context of a social policy framework.