Philippe-Benoit Côté

Love without a home: a portrait of romantic and couple relationships among street-involved young adults in Montreal

Few studies have explored love relationships among street-involved young adults. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 42 street-involved young adults, aged between 18 and 32 years (mean age = 23), about their love and sexual life. Themes were identified in the interviews with their corresponding kernels of meaning, and these kernels of meaning were then grouped into conceptual categories on the basis of their conceptual proximity. Five main conceptual categories emerged: (1) past relationships get in the way; (2) a romantic view of love dominates; (3) love is not always the main or the only motivation; (4) romance and the street do not mix well; and (5) hoping for love when the present seems dark. The interviews suggest that although there are many challenges facing the love life of street-involved young adults, love relationships can also contribute positively to the identity of these people by helping them to look at themselves differently and to consider alternatives to life on the street.

Modeling Initiation into Drug Injection among Street Youth

This study aimed at examining the predictors of initiation into drug injection among street youth using social cognitive theory framework. A prospective cohort study based on semi-annual interviews was carried out. Psychosocial determinants referred to avoidance of initiation. Other potential predictors were: sociodemographic characteristics, relationships with injectors, parents substance misuse, drug use patterns, homelessness, survival sex, sexual abuse. Independent predictors were identified using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Among the 352 participants, high control beliefs about avoidance of initiation was protective while younger age, daily alcohol consumption, heroin use, cocaine use, and survival sex all increased risk of initiation. Preventive strategies targeting street youth should both enhance youths control beliefs and actual control over their substance use and improve their life conditions.

Sexual Health Services for Homeless Youth: A Qualitative Analysis of their Experiences

Abstract The sexual health problems experienced by homeless youth bring into question their use of available sexual health services. Using a qualitative typological analysis, this study aims to identify sexual health services utilization profiles for homeless youth, and to understand the role of the homeless experience on the utilization of sexual health services. Individual interviews were conducted with 33 homeless youth (17 men, 16 women) between 18 and 25 years of age. Typological analysis identified four profiles: (1) a targeted use of sexual health services to determine one’s serological status following a relational change during the homeless experience; (2) a limited use of sexual health services to manage sexual emergencies that arise during the homeless experience; (3) a regular use of sexual health services to avoid the risks associated with the homeless experience; (4) a frequent use of sexual health services to obtain support when engaging in prostitution during the homeless experience. This study shows that the precarious and unstable conditions within the homeless experience incite youth to utilize sexual health services in different ways. These findings point to the importance of rethinking sexual health services to better adapt them to the different utilization profiles of homeless youth.