Primary Submission Category: LGBTQ+
Examining Housing Stability, Hope, and Sexually- and Gender-Diverse Identity Among Washington Youth – Washington State, 2021
Authors: Hannah Gorman Cathy Wasserman Bradley Klos Maayan Simckes
Presenting Author: Hannah Gorman*
Background: Youth housing instability significantly impacts mental health and well-being including increased rates of depression and substance use disorder. Sexually- and gender-diverse (SGD) youth experience worse mental health outcomes than their peers, and research has shown housing instability to be disproportionately prevalent for this population as well. To date little research has specifically examined the relationship between housing instability and hope including whether SGD identity may offer a protective or compounding effect.
Methods: The Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) is a population-based biennial, cross-sectional study of health behavior among public school students in grades 6-12 in Washington. Using HYS data from 2021, we examined the relationship between housing instability and hope, using the Children’s Hope Scale, and variation by SGD identity, defined by selection of “transgender”, “questioning/not sure”, “something else fits better”, or multiple options for gender identity, or a response other than “heterosexual (straight)” for sexual orientation.
Results: Among 9,378 10th grade students, 28.21% (n=2,329) identified as SGD, 2.49% (n=211) experienced housing instability due to affordability in the prior 12 months, and 7.92% reported low or no hope (n=658). We will present crude and adjusted prevalence ratios for the association between housing instability and hope, accounting for any influence of SGD identity on this relationship.
Conclusion: SGD youth may face particular barriers to good mental health but may also demonstrate resilience compared to peers in the face of some challenges. As anti-LGBTQ+ policies and rhetoric proliferate, understanding factors influencing the mental health of youth is a priority for schools, legislators, healthcare providers, and families. We will discuss potential implications of study findings and opportunities for future study.