全球智库信息集成服务系统

Key Findings

1. Among homeless youth smokers surveyed in Los Angeles County, most had tried to quit in the past and were currently interested in receiving assistance to help them quit.
2. Providers in the area who currently offer services to homeless youth are interested in providing smoking cessation assistance but face barriers to doing so, including lack of resources and trained staff.
3. Smoking cessation programs that required fewer resources were perceived by providers as more feasible to offer, but there were concerns that the lowest-cost, lowest-intensity option would be insufficient.
4. Homeless youth are often surrounded by a culture of smoking, and thus changing smoking norms at service sites could contribute to program effectiveness.

Efforts to prevent and reduce smoking among adolescents and young adults have neglected a particularly at-risk population: homeless youth. As many as 70 percent of unaccompanied homeless youth smoke cigarettes, a rate that is several times higher than the national average for adolescents and young adults. The well-established health risks posed by smoking may be heightened among homeless youth to the extent that their health is already compromised by harsh living environments, poor nutrition, substance abuse, and limited access to health care and prevention services. Yet almost no information is available on the smoking behaviors of those who smoke, whether they are currently receiving services for smoking cessation, and how to best help them quit. To address this knowledge gap, a RAND team examined smoking among homeless youth in Los Angeles County. The goal of this research was to develop feasible recommendations for service providers who want to implement smoking cessation programs for homeless youth.