Intersecting transitions among 2S/LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness: A scoping review

Background: Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (2S/ LGBTQ+) youth under 30 years of age are inequitably impacted by homelessness. Root drivers of homelessness among 2S/LGBTQ+ youth and the service-related needs of this group are multifaceted and complex. A synthesis of research can inform responsive action to support 2S/LGBTQ+ youth experiencing and at risk for homelessness with the goal of promoting better health and material living conditions. Objective: To summarize the literature addressing health and social transitions among homeless 2S/LGBTQ+ youth. Methods: This scoping review study utilized PRISMA-ScR guidelines to search seven bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed, English-language empirical works published between 2000 and 2022. The sampling frame centered homeless 2S/LGBTQ+ youth, with attention to life-course transitions. Retrieved citations were deduplicated and assessed for inclusion through title/abstract and full-text screening completed independently by two reviewers. Data were charted and synthesized with a descriptive summary and qualitative content analysis. Results: This scoping review yielded a total of 27 articles. Most articles reported on qualitative studies (n = 21) and originated from the United States (n = 18) and Canada (n = 6). Findings from the qualitative content analysis reflect intersecting health and social transitions related to: (i) leaving home, (ii) navigating street life, and (iii) orienting toward the future. The included studies detail the complex array of transitions 2S/LGBTQ+ youth navigate in relation to homelessness, often with limited supports and in structural contexts involving socioeconomic precarity. Conclusions: Findings underscore that multipronged and context-informed responses are required to meaningfully support 2S/LGBTQ+ youth experiencing and at risk for homelessness. Policy and practice interventions that are youth-centered, strengths-based, and grounded in a socioecological perspective may be optimally positioned to address the intersecting forms of structural vulnerability shaping transitions into and through homelessness for 2S/LGBTQ+ youth.