Emerging findings also indicate that GLB homeless youth experience greater risks in terms of victimization, substance use and abuse, rates of psychopathology, depression and suicidal ideation ( Cochran et al., 2002 Noell and Ochs, 2001 Whitbeck et al., 2004). Findings suggest that GLB youth have greater rates of depression, more suicide attempts ( Fergusson et al., 1999), more risk taking behavior ( Garofalo et al., 1998), and substance use ( Bontempo and D’Augelli, 2002) than heterosexual youth.
Historically, studies comparing GLB and heterosexual non-homeless youth have been primarily conducted with school-based and community-based samples ( Bontempo and D’Augelli, 2002 Faulkner and Cranston, 1998 Lock and Steiner, 1999). Thus, the purpose of this study was to bridge this gap by comparing the HIV risks among heterosexual and GLB youth in a population of homeless youth. Such evidence would be helpful in better understanding the needs of these youth and also to better inform intervention strategies. While this could imply that gay and lesbian homeless youth are at a greater risk for STIs, there is currently little empirical evidence to show whether differences in HIV risks among heterosexual and gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) youth exist. This was partially supported by a later study ( Solorio et al., 2006) that found that gay and bisexual males were more likely to report being tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) when compared to heterosexual males and lesbian and bisexual females. (2005) found that gay and lesbian homeless youth reported being tested and treated for HIV more than the bisexual or heterosexual youth. In a recent study designed to explore the differences in sexual health risks and protective factors Rew et al. Substance abuse has been associated as a risk factor for HIV, both in terms of drug and sexual related risk ( Rotheram-Borus et al., 2003). Overall, the homeless population has a disproportionately higher risk of HIV transmission ( Ebner and Laviage, 2003) and substance use ( Kipke et al., 1997). One particularly disturbing consequence of being homeless is engaging in behaviors that put oneself at risk for HIV infection.