The program provided an important means of involving youth in a healthy relationship with a caring adult, while working in a specialized area the youth already appreciated (i.e., the arts). The participants were encouraged to create messages with regards to health and drug-use in order to influence other drug-using youths. While the health focus on hepatitis was evident as the focus of the study, the youth were more empowered by the faculty to share their life stories through photography, drawing, and documentaries. One session was focused on hepatitis and the HAV/HBV vaccine. Each session was approximately two-three hours long. Two California Institute of the Arts (CalArt) faculty delivered the program over three to four sessions. 30 Studies show that health promotion interventions with homeless youth that incorporate artistic activities, such as art or storytelling, improved retention and satisfaction with the intervention and provide an important creative outlet. Moreover, art has been shown to be an effective means to help young people deal with challenges, such as poverty, illegal drug use and discrimination. Art has likewise been useful as a medium for communication of risk reduction messages as well. 29 However, despite the successes of these studies, drug use remains high among homeless youth. 28 Another intervention which utilized group and individual-level peer mentoring with homeless youth, resulted in enhanced health behaviors, improved mental well-being, decreased loneliness, expanded social network, increased coping skills, enhanced self-efficacy, and diminished use of drugs and alcohol. Health promotion has also been shown to be effective with homeless youth in a street-based sexual health promotion intervention, revealing a significant improvement in HIV and STD knowledge pre- and post-intervention in 564 homeless youth in Texas. 7Įffectiveness of Health Promotion and Art with Homeless Youth 7 At one month follow up, homeless youth who received the MI intervention reported reduced illicit drug use other than marijuana when compared to the control. 21 Another study found that motivational interviewing (MI) was a successful intervention among drop in centers serving homeless youth (N=285) between 14 to 19 years of age. At 12 months, there were improvements in substance abuse, mental health, and percent days housed. Participants were randomly assigned to a case manager and similarly had a community reinforcement approach (CRA) therapist. 21 evaluated the impact of a case management and individual therapy intervention at a drop in day center for homeless youth (N=172), 14 – 24 24 years of age. 20 identified substance-use reduction interventions with homeless youth have included health promotion, peer mentoring, case management, 21 brief motivational interviewing, 7, 22, 23 cognitive behavioral interventions, 24, 25 living skills/vocation training 26 and supportive housing. Impact of Intervention Programs Focused on Reducing Substance use of Homeless YouthĪ range of interventions to reduce substances in homeless youth have been tested, with varying degrees of success. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of a two-group community participatory-action intervention study designed to decrease use of drugs and alcohol among homeless youth. However, there is no compelling evidence that specific interventions for reducing drug and alcohol use are effective for homeless youth. 8 Alcohol use, and in particular, binge drinking, is pervasive among homeless youth and remains a social pressure among these vulnerable youth as is methamphetamine use. 8– 10 Furthermore, poly-drug use is also common among homeless youth in Los Angeles over a quarter of the homeless youth in one study reported use of six or more drugs in the previous 6 months.
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8 High rates of injection drug use ranging from 17% to 41% have also been reported. 3– 7 Among homeless youth in Los Angeles, recent (prior 3 months) high prevalence drug use included marijuana (68%) and amphetamines (36%). 1, 2 Compared to their non-homeless counterparts, homeless youth use substances earlier and with greater frequency. It is estimated that at least 1.2 million adolescents are homeless each year within the United States (U.S).