1 Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville, KY, USA.
2 Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, CO, USA.
Crisis. 2019 Jul;40(4):240-248. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000557. Epub 2018 Oct 30.
Youth experiencing homelessness are at risk for sex trafficking and mental health concerns. More information is needed to elucidate the prevalence and characteristics of suicidal ideation and behavior among youth experiencing sex trafficking. The present study examined suicidal ideation and behavior in a convenience sample of 128 youths experiencing homelessness aged 12-25 years in metropolitan Louisville, Kentucky, and southern Indiana. Participants were asked seven questions regarding suicidal ideation and attempts as part of an enhanced version of the 60-item Youth Experiences Survey (YES). Approximately 53% of the sample reported experiencing suicidal ideation at some point in their lifetime and the odds of a youth experiencing homelessness who had experienced sex trafficking reporting suicidal ideation was 3.87 times higher than the odds of a youth experiencing homelessness who had not experienced sex trafficking. Additionally, of those who reported experiencing suicidal ideation, the majority (84.4%) reported they had attempted suicide in their lifetime. This study relied on a convenience sample of youth receiving services in the Kentuckiana region and brief, self-report measures yielding categorical data. Programs servicing youth experiencing homelessness should require additional training and resources regarding the identification, screening, and assessment of youth who are at risk of or who have experienced sex trafficking in order to more quickly connect youth with much-needed, trauma-informed services.
无家可归的年轻人面临性交易和心理健康问题的风险。 需要更多信息来阐明性交易经历的年轻人中自杀意念和行为的普遍性和特征。 本研究在肯塔基州路易斯维尔大都市区和印第安纳州南部的一个便利样本中调查了 128 名 12-25 岁无家可归的年轻人的自杀意念和行为，该样本中约有 53%的人报告在他们的一生中某个时刻有过自杀意念，并且有性交易经历的无家可归青年报告自杀意念的可能性是没有性交易经历的无家可归青年的 3.87 倍。 此外，报告有自杀意念的人中，大多数（84.4%）报告他们一生中曾试图自杀。 本研究依赖于在肯塔基州南部地区接受服务的青年的便利样本以及简短的自我报告措施，产生分类数据。 为了更迅速地将青年与急需的、以创伤为中心的服务联系起来，为无家可归的青年提供服务的项目应要求提供更多关于识别、筛查和评估有风险或有性交易经历的青年的培训和资源。
