Art Messaging to Engage Homeless Young Adults

Abstract

Background Art has been shown to be an empowering and engaging entity with numerous benefits to vulnerable populations, including the homeless persons and young adults. Yet, little is known how homeless young adults perceive the use of art as messages that can communicate the danger of initiating or continuing drug and alcohol use. Objectives The purpose of this study was to solicit perspectives of homeless drug-using young adults as to how art can be used to design messages for their peers about the danger of initiating or continuing drug and alcohol use. Methods Qualitative methodology via focus group discussions was utilized to engage 24 homeless young adults enrolled from a drop-in site in Santa Monica. Results The findings revealed support for a myriad of delivery styles, including in person communication, flyers, music, documentary film and creative writing. The young adults also provided insight into the importance of the thematic framework of messages. Such themes ranged from empowering and hopeful messages to those designed to scare young homeless adults into not experimenting with drugs. Conclusions The findings indicate that in addition to messages communicating the need to prevent or reduce drug and alcohol use, homeless young adults respond to messages that remind them of goals and dreams they once had for their future, and to content that is personal, real and truthful. . Our research indicates that messages that reinforce protective factors such as hope for the future and self-esteem may be as important to homeless young adults as information about the risks and consequences of drug use.

Impact of Nursing Intervention on Decreasing Substances among Homeless Youth

“…Both the programs, described in detail in a former paper, 32 focused on decreasing use of drugs and alcohol and promoting hepatitis health by vaccinating young homeless drug users with the Twinrix Hepatitis HAV/HBV vaccine series. Six-month follow-up questionnaires were completed by 100 participants (65%) of the sample; a follow-up rate consistent with other researchers (59% to 70%) engaged with this challenging population.…”

Drug Use and Multiple Sex Partners Among Homeless Ex-Offenders

“…Personal factors such as engaging in substance use and having sex with multiple partners (Hennessey et al, 2009; Salem et al, 2013), and having experiencing physical and mental health problems (Nyamathi, Leake, et al, 2011) may promote risky behaviors. Having another person dependent on the ex-offender or being knowledgeable that having sex with an HIV-infected person creates risk for HIV may serve as protective factors against resuming drug use and unprotected sex with multiple persons (Nyamathi, Slagle, et al, 2011). Having low personal resources such as self-esteem can likewise impact continued drug use, aggression, antisocial behavior, and delinquency (Donnellan, Trzesniewski, Robins, Moffitt, & Caspi, 2005; Lejuez, Simmons, Aklin, Daughters, & Dvir, 2004), as well as increased sexual activities.…”

Listening to Consumer Perspectives to Inform Addictions and Housing-Related Practice and Research

“…In the four databases searched, we identified two CBPR studies focused on addictions recovery and employment (Nyamathi et al, 2011; Rebeiro, Kauppi, Montgomery, James, 2012). A study with 24 homeless young adult participants looked at the efficacy of art messaging to communicate the dangers of drug and alcohol use.…”

“…A study with 24 homeless young adult participants looked at the efficacy of art messaging to communicate the dangers of drug and alcohol use. Results of focus groups indicated that participants respond to messages that reinforce protective factors in addition to information about risks and consequences of drug use, and prefer content that is “personal, real, and truthful” (Nyamathi et al, 2011, p. 14). Rebeiro et al’s research in Ontario examined employment as a contributing factor in recovery.…”