homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth population, of which there are 3,000 to 8,000 living in New York City (based on estimates that 20% to 40% of all homeless youth are LGBT).
A 2007 report by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute and the National Coalition for the Homeless
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noted that substance abuse is not an isolated outcome automatically causing or resulting from homelessness. Rather, it is inextricably linked to other behavioral, health, and mental health concerns. Chronic stressors, inherent in the daily life of homeless youth, along with the social stigma experienced by LGBT youth in general, lead to substance abuse at alarmingly high rates when compared with the general population.
Additionally, a study of MSM found that homelessness was associated with less frequent condom use, whereas community connectedness was associated with a greater likelihood of condom use.
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(See “Community Connectedness,” under “Resiliency Factors,” for more on this important topic.)
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