Insights From Youth Experiencing Homelessness on Substance Use Harms: Potential Solutions for an mHealth Intervention

This study provides new insight into young people’s knowledge about the harms of using substances, why young people use substances, as well as messages and information that could be incorporated into an mHealth intervention that could potentially reduce substance use among youth experiencing homelessness (YEH). Using culturally relevant information obtained from four focus groups with 27 YEH in summer 2024, the larger goal of this work is to communicate to youth, via a smartphone app, their risk for substance use along with providing services, support, and positive affirmations to reduce substance use. The findings from the focus groups demonstrate youths’ knowledge on the harms of using substances as well as creative ways researchers can incorporate content into a mobile platform, when developing mHealth interventions for YEH that will be culturally relevant to this population.