Cohen, MacKenzie and Yates (1991) administered a psychosocial interview instrument, HEADSS (Home, Education, Activities, Drug use and abuse, Sexual behavior, Suicide Behavior and Depression) to High Risk Youth Clinic clients during their initial visits to Children's Hospital of Los Angles.
Of the 1,015 new patients completing intake instruments, 63 percent were homeless/runaway youths and 37 percent were living with their families. Cohen, MacKenzie and Yates (1991) compared Homeless/runaway youths to nonhomeless youths in a number of areas, including risks for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
Results of the study showed that homeless teens tended to be younger, female, and white in comparison to their nonhomeless counterparts. Also, Homeless youth were more likely to have dropped out of school and were far more likely to be depressed and actively suicidal. Further, runaway/homeless youth demonstrated all forms of drug abuse, engaged in first sexual intercourse at an earlier age, and experienced a higher incidence of childhood sexual abuse a
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