Without A Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey

Within the sample, 42% of participants
reported at least one suicide attempt
and 35.2% reported having at least one
drug overdose requiring hospitalization.
These findings fall in line with previous
observations of suicide and drug overdose
as the leading causes of death among
homeless youth in Canada (Roy et al.,
2004).
Key associations
Findings showed that the age at which a
youth first becomes homeless is associated
with particular mental health struggles.
Most strikingly, the younger the age of the
first homelessness episode, the greater the
mental health and addictions symptoms,
the poorer the quality of life, and the
greater the likelihood of having attempted
suicide.
85.4%
of youth fell in the
‘high’ symptom/
distress category
42%
reported at least
one suicide attempt
35.2%
reported at least
one drug overdose
requiring hospitalization
Gender emerged as an important factor related to mental health, with female youth
reporting greater physical health concerns and markedly poorer mental health, as well as a
higher suicide attempt rate (59% vs. 39% male).
Across all domains, LGBTQ2S
youth reported a much greater
degree of mental health
concerns, including suicide
attempts.
59%
of female youth
attempted suicide
39%
of male youth
attempted suicide
WITHOUT A HOME: THE NATIONAL YOUTH HOMELESSNESS SURVEY
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