Young adults who were previously homeless and have been housed through permanent supportive housing programs may still lack access to food banks or assistance and mental health services. This can prolong the mental health effects of previous food insecurity even with housing. Information on long-term health outcomes and engagement in other health risk behavior is lacking.

Mental Health Access for Young Adults Who Have Been Housed

Negative developmental effects related to hunger have been documented in young adult populations, including impact on levels of self-control, inattentiveness, and task persistence. These can contribute to poor socialization. Population-level studies have also found associations between chronic hunger and psychiatric morbidities, and up to 98% of young adults experiencing homelessness meet criteria for a mental health disorder.

Cleveland State University

Food insecurity in young adults under 30 who experience homelessness is as high as 85%. Food insecurity also persists even after exiting homelessness through programming such as permanent supportive housing.

Food Insecurity Prevalence in Young Adults Who Experience Homelessness

Dzubur, E., Semborski, S., Redline, B., Hedeker, D., Dunton, G. F., &amp; Henwood, B. F. (2022). Food insecurity, hunger, stress, and homelessness among young adults. Health Psychology, 41(8), 559–565. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001214 

Food Insecurity, Hunger, Stress, and Homelessness Among Young Adults

Young adults experiencing food insecurity have been found to engage in behaviors that compromise health and safety, such as exchanging sex for food, stealing, and scavenging in dumpsters for food. Contracting an infection, disease, or facing jail time for such actions are potential consequences.

Risk Behaviors Among Young Adults Experiencing Food Insecurity

Biologically, stress results in an increase in cortisol levels, which is thought to promote hunger through an increase in the amount of insulin, leptin, and neuropeptide. Furthermore, eating may reduce the physiological stress response, thus acting as a negative feedback loop in the presence of stress and worsened under increased stress, resulting in excess calorie consumption.

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