Homelessness and drug use: evidence from a community sample

Questions regarding the nature of the association between drug use and risk of homelessness remain unresolved and have important policy implications.

To address this issue, data are presented from a 2001 community survey in Chicago, Illinois that collected information regarding histories of drug use behaviors and homeless experiences from 627 adults aged 18 to 40. Using covariance structure analyses, two alternative models of the association between drug use and homelessness were evaluated: social selection versus social adaptation processes.

These findings provide evidence consistent with the social adaptation perspective, as early homeless experiences were predictive of subsequent drug use behavior in this community sample. Social selection processes were observed in bivariate, but not in multivariate, analyses.

The role of homelessness as a risk factor for drug use initiation should be further explored. Efforts to prevent homelessness may also contribute to the prevention of drug abuse.