Trends and drug-related correlates in residential mobility among young adults in the United States, 2003–2016

Introduction: Young adulthood, typically conceptualized as stretching from the late teens to the mid-twenties, is a period of elevated risk for residential mobility (i.e., moving or changing residences frequently) and drug involvement. However, our understanding of the trends and drug-related correlates of residential mobility among young adults remains limited. Methods: We analyzed national trend data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2003–2016) on residential mobility and drug involvement among young adults (N = 230,790) in the United States. For tests of trend, we conducted logistic regression analyses with survey year specified as a continuous independent variable and residential mobility as the dependent variable (no/yes), controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results: The prevalence of residential mobility was stable among females, but decreased significantly—a 20% reduction in the relative proportion of respondents—among males during the study period (AOR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.97–0.99). Male and female young adults reporting residential mobility were significantly more likely to report involvement in all drug-related outcomes examined, but effects were larger among females for drug selling and drug-related arrests. Discussion: Study findings show that a substantial minority of young adults experience residential mobility and that, while rates are declining among young men, the experience of mobility is connected with risk for drug involvement, particularly among females. Mobility may be an important target for drug prevention/intervention efforts, but further research is needed to provide insight into how mobility and drug involvement are connected in the lives of young adults.