Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40742657›Full record

SynthesisCommunity mental health journal2025

Prevalence of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Adolescents Experiencing Homelessness: A Systematic Review.

David Borkenhagen, G Messier, T Masrani, E Gunn, A Bahji, R Barry, D Seitz, S Patten, G Dimitropoulos

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Community mental health journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Housing intervention impacts on parenting stress and child problem behaviors among mothers experiencing homelessness.Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

David BorkenhagenDepartment of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada. dbborken@ucalgary.ca.ORCID 0000-0002-0978-6287
G MessierDepartment of Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
T MasraniDepartment of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
E GunnMathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
A BahjiDepartment of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
R BarryDepartment of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
D SeitzDepartment of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
S PattenDepartment of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
G DimitropoulosDepartment of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Adolescents with existing mental health and substance use disorders are at higher risk for homelessness, and being homeless can further exacerbate these issues. However, no systematic review has specifically assessed the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders among homeless adolescents using validated diagnostic measures. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders among adolescents experiencing homelessness, based on studies employing validated diagnostic measures. A systematic search was conducted across electronic databases, including AMED, Cochrane, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and PubMed, from inception through February 3, 2024. Studies were included if they assessed the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders using validated diagnostic measures in adolescents aged 12-17 years who were experiencing homelessness. Data extraction was performed using Covidence and reviewed for accuracy by two independent reviewers. Weighted average prevalence rates for mental health and substance use disorders among homeless adolescents were calculated, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Out of 7,729 citations, 116 studies were reviewed in full, and two studies met all criteria (N = 226). The most common mental health disorder identified, based on diagnostic classifications used in earlier versions of the DSM and ICD, was drug abuse disorder (43%, 95% CI [34, 53]), followed by disruptive behavior disorder (39%, 95% CI [25, 53]) and alcohol abuse disorder (38%, 95% CI [28, 48]). This systematic review highlights the limited evidence available on the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders among homeless adolescents from studies using validated diagnostic measures. Further research is essential to enhance understanding and to develop data-driven intervention strategies to better address the needs and challenges faced by this vulnerable population.

Indexed as

Homeless YouthIll-Housed PersonsMental DisordersSubstance-Related DisordersAdolescentChildFemaleHumansMaleMental HealthPrevalenceAdolescents experiencing homelessnessDiagnosisMental health disordersSubstance use disorders

Identifiers

PMID40742657

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.