Correlates of problem drinking among homeless men.

Area of Science:

• Addiction research
• Mental health studies
• Homelessness research

Background:

• Problem drinking is a significant concern within homeless populations.
• Understanding the predictors of alcoholism is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify correlates of problem drinking among homeless men.
• To examine the predictive power of various demographic, psychosocial, and historical factors.

Main Methods:

• Multiple regression analysis was employed.
• Data were collected from 165 homeless men in St. Louis, Missouri.
• Predictors included stressful events, age, life satisfaction, psychopathology, and prior hospitalizations.

Main Results:

• Stressful life events prior to homelessness, age, current life satisfaction, psychopathology, and prior mental hospitalization were significant predictors of problem drinking.
• The model explained 38% of the variance in problem drinking (R2 = .38).
• Length of time homeless and transience were not predictive, contrary to some previous research.

Conclusions:

• Factors preceding homelessness and individual psychological characteristics are stronger predictors of alcoholism than duration of homelessness or social support.
• Intervention strategies may need to focus on pre-homelessness stressors and mental health status.