Introduction
Drug misuse is among the most significant challenges plaguing homeless communities globally. Approximately 62.5% of the homeless people in the United Kingdom (UK) have a substance abuse problem (Mental Health Foundation, 2023). Consequently, this population, especially the minors, is predisposed to different psychological complications due to their inability to seek treatment.
Summary of Chosen Health Campaign’s Main Issues
Substance abuse among homeless adolescents is a significant problem that affects mental health. This may lead to various psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, self-inducing injuries, and suicide (Van der Steur, Batalla, and Bossong, 2020; Melson and O’Connor, 2019). Thus, the primary objectives of this health promotion campaign are to raise awareness and target individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 years.
However, there are several challenges linked to promoting this campaign. Primarily, the target group may not have positive future expectations, which is a crucial key element for healthy behavior. Similarly, the stigma of being homeless may prevent individuals from seeking help and perpetuate the vice. In terms of future application, the lessons learned through this initiative can help design better approaches to improve mental health. Identifying the precise requirements and obstacles faced by homeless youth will help tailor solutions to their specific needs.
Target Group and Understanding of Life Course Theory
The life course theory (LCT) can be used to explain the concept of substance misuse among homeless young adults. LCT suggests that various life events intersect with social, biological, psychological, and environmental factors to shape an individual’s transition (Hutchison, 2019). In this case, an adolescent’s adverse childhood experiences may have contributed to their homelessness and later their susceptibility to drug misuse (Carver et al. 2020).
Most homeless youths have experienced trauma due to child abuse, parental substance abuse, or domestic violence. This pain causes psychological distress, such as stress and depression, which heightens their proneness to drug abuse (Hockey et al. 2021). Additionally, LCT reveals that transitions and turning points can have a profound impact on a person’s life. This implies that homelessness among the youths could transition their lives into addiction, exposing them to diverse psychological disorders.
The LCT demonstrates that an individual’s environment can significantly influence their life trajectory. Homelessness deters youths from accessing quality healthcare services, which would help treat mental complications elicited by substance use. According to research, the life expectancy of individuals with acute psychological problems is lessened by 20 years (Hockey et al. 2021). This implies that homeless minors who abuse substances may live shorter lives compared to their peers due to the exacerbation of their mental conditions. Equally, this population may be unable to recover from addiction, hindering them from getting decent jobs and becoming successful in adulthood. Thus, drug misuse among homeless teenagers may adversely affect their life course due to the debilitating impacts on mental health.
The Challenges of Communicating and Promoting the Health Campaign
The more risk factors individuals in this target group have, the greater the chance of abusing drugs and experiencing psychological complications. This, in turn, may exacerbate the challenges of promoting the health campaign (Houghton et al., 2021). Many elements shape homeless adolescents’ drug-taking behavior in the UK. For instance, social conditions can make some people experiment with drugs and subsequently develop substance abuse problems (Nawi et al. 2021). Factors that may influence a person’s lifestyle choices and impede health promotion efforts are discussed as follows;
Social Networks
Social factors can trigger drug misuse behaviors among young adults. These include beliefs prevalent in particular cultures, geographic areas in which they are raised, and practices related to drug use. A study by Karamanos et al. (2022) showed that youths in the UK whose caregivers abused alcohol or drugs during their childhood have a higher likelihood of using illegal substances since they perceive it as normal conduct. In addition, the study established that young adults are greatly influenced to engage in drug misuse by their peers (Karamanos et al. 2022). Consequently, changing young adults’ perceptions and preferences for drugs may be challenging (Carver et al., 2020).
However, the prescriptive approach in John Heron’s communication model recommends offering advice to help these adolescents (Webb, 2019, p. 43). The technique may require health practitioners to provide suggestions on how to avoid peer pressure, particularly if it results in addiction. Hence, through open dialogue, the motives behind the target group’s attitudes and actions can be explored. This can help foster empathy and understanding about their drug-related behavior and initiate a positive change.
Lack of Means of Outreach
Promoting a health campaign requires constant interactions between the healthcare professionals and the target group. However, most homeless young adults in the UK constantly move from one place to another because they live in temporary shelters (Heaslip et al. 2021). Hence, they lack access to means of communication, such as the internet or mobile phones, to constantly engage with health workers and access mental health services as needed. Nevertheless, the informative perspective in Heron’s framework emphasizes the importance of providing factual data to enhance understanding of a particular subject (Webb, 2019). In this case, offering critical information about the cause and impacts of drug use while practicing empathetic listening can help in the campaign.
Stigmatization and Trust Issues
The general assumption that minors experiencing homelessness and drug problems have a choice in the matter adds to the problem of communicating and promoting health awareness. A study by Rea (2022) shows that most of the unhoused people in the UK face a lot of stigma, which makes them withdraw from any potential source of social support. In this case, homeless teenagers with drug use problems fear that other people will perceive them as inferior and deviant, which increases their isolation, predisposing them to further substance use(Rea, 2022).
In addition, both homelessness and drug abuse have been criminalized in the UK (Rea, 2022). This heightened level of discrimination and stigmatization makes them reluctant to seek professional help. In this case, Gerard Egan’s model can be integral to the campaign because, rather than viewing their drug-related behavior as a moral failure, the framework allows them to share their stories, explore possibilities, and learn how they can improve (Baldwin, 2019). When the target group is permitted to share their experiences, they may feel healthcare workers are empathetic and supportive, which may reduce stigma (Moudatsou et al., 2020). Thus, Egan’s model may improve healthcare workers’ interactions with their clients and the assistance they can provide.
Economic Constraints
Economically, inadequate resources are associated with poor access to healthcare services. In the UK, homeless young adults are usually exposed to multiple stressors, such as a lack of shelter and food supplies (Shulman et al. 2023). This problem is compounded by a lack of resources to deal with daily life experiences on the street. Therefore, even if health awareness about the negative impact of drug misuse is achieved, the target population may be unable to participate in rehabilitation programs or access harm-reduction tools due to a lack of capital (Wang et al. 2019).
The economic hardship that these individuals experience compels them to identify with the culture and way of life on the streets (Maguire, 2022). Limited resources can make it challenging for this group of people to access the healthcare services they need, and increase the level of distrust in healthcare providers. Research indicates a significant lack of responsiveness from health and social care services to homeless people in the UK (Armstrong et al., 2021). This is primarily due to their low socioeconomic status and limited financial resources to cover their medical expenses. Hence, inadequate resources can hinder homeless minors with drug dependence from receiving critical care information to improve their mental health.
Competing Priorities
Young adults living on the streets have a myriad of challenges. Research indicates that most homeless youths in the UK lack necessities, including food, accommodation, and healthcare (McNeill et al., 2022). They also experience a lot of neglect and emotional and sexual abuse. Therefore, for the target group, seeking assistance for their addiction may not be a priority. This i
s because there are far more pressing needs to address, such as food and shelter (Albert, Baillie, and Neal, 2023). Hence, unless their basic requirements are satisfied first, these homeless youths with substance misuse problems may be unwilling to engage with health workers to learn how to manage their conditions.
Additionally, homelessness among young adults in the UK significantly affects their self-esteem, triggering adverse psychological well-being (Gunner et al. 2019). When individuals experience health problems, it can be challenging to stay motivated and engaged in activities that promote their health (Jimenez, Thomas, and Bartels, 2019). This can result in a lack of interest when interacting with educational resources to adopt healthy, drug-free behaviors.
Insights and Future Practice
This analysis has promoted an understanding of the dynamics of drug misuse among homeless minors. Future practice can be enhanced by acknowledging and addressing biological and socioeconomic elements that make the target group susceptible to drug use problems, as well as the risk of co-occurring mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression (Houghton et al. 2021). In this case, a holistic health promotion campaign is necessary to achieve the goals of the initiatives (Nawi et al., 2021).
For instance, it is essential to initiate early intervention programs since some youths are predisposed to addiction due to adverse childhood issues, such as parental substance abuse (Miler et al. 2021). More targeted interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and stress management interventions, can be directed toward youths (Kiluk, 2019). These approaches help them make informed decisions and manage their drug preference.
Homeless young adults often experience numerous challenges that expose them to drug misuse. For example, the lack of capital to enroll in rehabilitation centers and access healthcare resources exacerbates one’s addiction. For this reason, youths should be provided with the resources to address the barriers of homelessness and influence behavior change (Darcy, 2021).
Lastly, healthcare workers need to demonstrate empathy and active listening to make those experiencing homelessness less stigmatized. Promoting policies that decriminalize substance abuse may also encourage homeless youths with drug complications to seek help (Bratberg et al. 2023). This is important in establishing trust and developing relationships when engaging youths experiencing homelessness in behavior change processes.
Conclusion
Drug misuse is a significant challenge affecting most homeless youths in the UK. However, limited outreach, stigmatization, economic strains, and competing priorities hinder this population from receiving high-quality and competent care for addiction. Thus, healthcare providers need to implement effective programs that allow early detection of addiction to enable appropriate intervention and to support regulations that decriminalize drug misuse to encourage the affected youth to seek relevant healthcare services actively.
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