The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #56736

Theresa Perlis, PhD¹, Don C. Des Jarlais², Cassandra Torrico¹, and Joy Settembrino². (1) National Development and Research Institutes, Inc, 71 West 23rd Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010, 212-845-4484, perlis@ndri.org, (2) National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd. Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010

Background: The "Urban Nomads" are a distinct subgroup of homeless young people who travel frequently and extensively throughout the U.S. On average they visit 18 cities annually, and use considerable amounts of licit and illicit drugs. This report focuses on alcohol use among Urban Nomads. Methods: Telephone or in-person structured interviews were administered to 125 Urban Nomads currently participating in a longitudinal study. Questions included recent (past 6 months) drug and alcohol use and related outcomes. Results: Almost all (98%) had drunk alcohol recently - 54% daily. Reasons for drinking included '"like it," boredom, escapism, addiction. Drinking and drug use were viewed as instrumental in building friendships and strengthening communal bonds. Beer was most commonly used. 80% of daily drinkers reported minimum daily consumption of 2 six-packs. Among drinkers, 73% had experienced DTs, 74% blackouts, 73% fights, 54% legal-system troubles, 69% loss/theft of belongings, and 23% denial of social/health services. 59% sometimes drank more than they intended, but only 28% had tried to quit (primarily for health-related reasons), with only 6% successful. Concomitant use of alcohol and other drugs was reported by 92%, and 54% drank alcohol whenever they used illicit drugs. 12% had recently overdosed after using heroin and alcohol together. Conclusion: Alcohol features prominently in these travelers' lifestyle, particularly since their frequent travel limits consistent access to illicit drugs. Programs targeted to information dissemination regarding consequences of alcohol abuse and dangers of mixing drugs should be implemented in drop-in centers, SEPs and other agencies serving these youth.

Learning Objectives:

"At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will:
• Recognize the extent of the alcohol abuse problem in this young "Urban Nomad" population
• Understand the need for information dissemination about the consequences of alcohol abuse and the dangers of mixing alcohol and other drugs.

Keywords: Alcohol Use, Drug Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.