General Information


What was the purpose of the study?

To explore intersecting vulnerabilities among individuals who are:

  • Homeless
  • Have psychiatric challenges
  • Marginalized by visible minority group status, sexual orientation, and/or disabilities

Why is this important?

  • Between 130,000 and 250,000 people in Canada were homeless during 1986 (Canadian Council on Social Development). In 1998, the Mayor of Canada's largest cities declared homelessness a national disaster.
  • Many people affected by homelessness are members of disadvantaged communities. They face barriers including:
    • Poverty
    • Discrimination
    • Stigma
    • Lack of affordable and supported housing options
      • (London homeless coalition, 2003)
  • There is neither a national housing policy nor a national mental health policy. Lack of affordable housing is problematic for psychiatric survivors because governments across Canada have pursued a policy of deinstitutionalization at the same time that changes in the social and affordable housing and landscape were occurring.

How does diversity specifically relate to homelessness?

  • People with mental health problems are over represented in the homeless population (Goering et al., 2002; Fichter et al., 1999; Thomsen et al., 2000, Reid and Klee, 1999; Haugland et al., 1997)
  • Other diverse populations are over represented in the homeless population
    • Non-Caucasians in Toronto (Goering et al., 2002)
    • Aboriginal peoples in Canada (Begin et al., 1999)
    • Minority women in the US (Warren et al., 1992)

How Was the study conducted?

There were 3 phases of the project:

  • Phase 1 (Quantitative portion):
    • Secondary analysis of data collected from the "CURA"
  • Phase 2: (Qualitative portion):
    • Critical ethnography using focus groups and interviews
  • Phase 3:
    • Policy Analysis

How is the Diversity project related to the CURA?

There were 3 phases of the project:

  • The CURA (Community-University Research Alliance) project, entitled "Partnerships in Capacity Building: Housing, Community Economic Development, and Psychiatric Consumer/Survivors" conducted action research on housing issues for psychiatric survivors in London.
    • Examined differences between different housing arrangements: independent living, group living and homelessness.
    • Secondary analysis of data collected from the "CURA"
    • Secondary analysis of data collected from the "CURA"
  • This study provided groundwork for adding the additional complexity of further minority status.
  • The Diversity research allowed us to include more agencies offering services to minority groups and it furthered research specifically on the needs of those with minority group status in addition to their homelessness and mental health challenges.

References

Begin, P., Casavant, L., Miller Chenier, N. & Dupuis, J. (1999). Homelessness, Library of Parliament document, Parliamentary Research Branch, PRB 99-1E, January 8, 1999.

Fichter, M., Quadflieg, N., Koniarczyk, M., Greifenhagen, A., Wolz, J., Koegel, P., & Wittchen, H.U. (1999). Mental illness in homeless men and women in Munich. Psychiatr Prax, 26 (2), 76-84.

Goering, P., Tolomiczenko, G., Sheldon, T., Boydell, K. & Wasylenki, D. (2002). Characteristics of Persons Who Are Homeless for the First Time Psychiatric Services, 53, 1472-1474.

Haugland, G., Siegel, C., Hopper, K., & Alexander, M.J. (1997). Mental illness among homeless individuals in a suburban county. Psychiatric Services, 48 (4), 504-509.

London Homeless Coalition (2003). Community Plan for Homelessness in London, London Homeless Coalition, 1st Revision.

Reid, P., & Klee, H. (1999). Young homeless people and service provision. Health and Social Care in the Community, 7 (1), 17-24.

Thomsen, R.L., Balslov, K.D., Benjaminsen, S.E., & Petersen, P. (2000). Homeless persons residing in shelters in the county of Funen I.: Psychosocial characteristics and need of treatment. Ugeskr Laeger, 162(9), 1205-1210.

Warren, B.J., Menke, E.M., Clement, J., & Wagner, J. (1992). The mental health of African-American and Caucasian-American women who are homeless. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing Mental Health Services, 30 (11), 27-30