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The prevalence of homelessness among injection drug users with and without HIV infection

Journal of Urban Health volume 77, pages 678–687 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Cross-sectional investigations of homelessness have many potential biases. Data from 2,452 individuals enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study of Baltimore, Maryland, residents recruited in 1988–1989 with a history of injection drug use were analyzed to identify the extent and determinants of homelessness. Proportions having ever experienced homelessness were compared across subgroups of injection drug users (IDUs) who were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative, HIV positive, and HIV seroconverting. Logistic regression identified independent predictors of homelessness. In the cohort, 1,144 (46.7%) participants experienced homelessness during the course of the study. There were differences in prevalence of homelessness by serostatus: 42.4% (n=621) of participants who remained HIV negative were ever homeless, while 50.6% (n=346) of HIV-infected individuals and 58.9% (n=178) of those who seroconverted during the study were ever homeless (P<.001). Participants who consistently denied active injection drug use during follow-up were unlikely to experience homelessness (19%). Independent predictors of homelessness were male sex, HIV seroprevalence, and HIV seroconversion. Following participants over time captures more experiences of homelessness than cross-sectional studies and more accurately identifies risk characteristics. Our data suggest that homelessness is a significant problem among IDUs, especially those with HIV/AIDS.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Center for Bioethics, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA

    John Y. Song MD

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases Program, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, 21205, Baltimore, Maryland

    Mahboobeh Safaeian MPh, Steffanie A. Strathdee PhD & David D. Celentano ScD

  3. Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, New York, New York

    David Vlahov PhD

Authors
  1. John Y. Song MD
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  2. Mahboobeh Safaeian MPh
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  3. Steffanie A. Strathdee PhD
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  4. David Vlahov PhD
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  5. David D. Celentano ScD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David D. Celentano ScD.

Additional information

This research was funded by grants R01DA04334 and R01DA8009 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health

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Song, J.Y., Safaeian, M., Strathdee, S.A. et al. The prevalence of homelessness among injection drug users with and without HIV infection. J Urban Health 77, 678–687 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02344031

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02344031

Key Words

  • HIV
  • Homelessness
  • Injection drug use
  • Prevalence