Suchergebnisse

The primary goal of this scoping review was to assess and summarize existing research on homelessness among female Veterans to understand their unique experiences. A total of 52 relevant studies were found and included. All identified studies had been conducted in the United States, with one in the United States and Puerto Rico. The findings provided important insight on services access/utilization, indicating that homeless female Veterans with substance abuse, physical health conditions, and mental health issues have high rates of accessing services; however, there is a lack of housing services available for female Veterans with children. Although the findings revealed many studies conducted in the United States, research investigating the issue needs to be conducted across the international community. In doing so, alternative methods and policies for supporting female Veterans experiencing homelessness can be identified and transferred. In particular, exploratory qualitative studies are needed to further understand the experience of homelessness for female Veterans.

BACKGROUND: Homelessness is becoming an international public health issue in most developed countries, including Canada. Homelessness is regarded as both political and socioeconomic problems warranting broad and consistent result-oriented approaches. METHODS: This paper represents the qualitative findings of a project that explored risk factors associated with family homelessness and strategies that could mitigate and prevent homelessness among families using a focused ethnographic study guided by the principles of participatory action research (PAR). The sample includes 36 family members residing at a family shelter who participated in focus groups over two years (between April 2016 and December 2017). Most of the participants were single-parent women. RESULTS: The analysis yielded five major themes including, life challenges, lack of understanding of the system, existing power differentials, escaping from hardship, and a theme of proposed solutions for reducing family homelessness in the community. CONCLUSION: The findings illustrated the complex nature of family homelessness in Ontario; that the interaction of multiple systems can put families at risk of homelessness. Findings from this study underscore the need for urgent housing protocols aimed at educating homeless families on how to navigate and understand the system, enhance their conflict resolution skills, and develop strategies beyond relocation to help them to cope with difficulties with housing.