Unraveling the Complexities of Homelessness - Unveiling Predictors

Photo taken by Jon Tyson

How does one become homeless? Were they without a home their whole life? If they have family and friends that do have stable housing, can’t they live with them? To answer all of these questions, one must first acknowledge that homelessness is a complicated concept. Numerous factors can increase one’s chance of being destitute, there is no one-size-fits-all answer that can explain why someone does not have a stable home. Thus, it is essential to investigate the intricacies of this issue. 

Several determinants significantly increase the likelihood that an individual becomes houseless. In particular, a history of child abuse, and past experience of running away and being in the foster care system are the strongest factors of homelessness (Nilsson et al., 2019). In regards to foster care, not only does it increase one’s risk of being homeless but extended periods in group homes amplify the risk of experiencing homelessness at a younger age and for a more prolonged duration during one’s first occurrence of street living (Patterson et al., 2015). 

Other factors, that are less pronounced, also impact the probability of homelessness. For instance, a connection between substance use disorders, poverty, and homelessness exists, though it becomes less clear when considering additional factors (Thompson et al., 2013). Interestingly, homeless individuals with substance-use disorders tend to spend their money on their addictions (Thompson et al., 2013). This could explain why it is so difficult for them to break free from homelessness as they are spending their limited resources on their substance use. 

Additional factors that increase one’s likelihood of being homeless, specifically in countries that tend to be of higher income, include being male, having a non-heterosexual identity, and being a veteran (Nilsson et al., 2019). 

Some homeless individuals have families that have stable housing. Unfortunately, not all of them are willing to take this member of their family back. Specifically, 58% of the homeless are denied asylum in these homes (McQuistion et al., 2013). The reason is unclear but it could be due to the stresses this individual has caused the rest of their family by being homeless (McQuistion et al., 2013). Merely because a homeless person has kin that have a home does not mean they will automatically be granted access to these homes as well. We should not assume homeless individuals are putting limited effort into fixing their living situations as additional factors could be present that go beneath what is seen on the surface. 

Moreover, there exists a reciprocal relationship between incarceration and finding a home. The longer someone has been homeless the chances of them being incarcerated increase while being in jail diminishes the chances of obtaining stable housing (McQuistion et al., 2013). Thus, if one becomes a victim of either factor they may find it difficult to escape the other. 

All is not lost, however. Residential treatment significantly reduces the duration someone is homeless post-treatment and the time one spends in stable housing increases as well (Munthee-Kaas et al., 2018). 

Given that many factors are beyond an individual’s control, emphasizing the importance of early intervention and other support services becomes crucial in helping individuals gain control of these determinants.

References 

McQuistion, H. L., Gorroochurn, P., Hsu, E., & Caton, C. L. M. (2013). Risk Factors Associated with Recurrent Homelessness After a First Homeless Episode. Community Mental Health Journal, 50(5), 505–513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9608-4

Munthe‐Kaas, H. M., Berg, R. C., & Blaasvær, N. (2018). Effectiveness of interventions to reduce homelessness: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Campbell Systematic Review, 14(1), 1–281. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2018.3

Nilsson, S. F., Nordentoft, M., & Hjorthøj, C. (2019). Individual-level predictors for becoming homeless and exiting homelessness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of

Urban Health, 96(5), 741–750. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-019-00377-x

Patterson, M. L., Moniruzzaman, A., & Somers, J. M. (2015). History of foster care among homeless adults with mental illness in vancouver, british columbia: A precursor to trajectories of risk. BMC Psychiatry, 15(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-015-0411-3

Thompson, R. G., Wall, M. M., Greenstein, E., Grant, B. F., & Hasin, D. S. (2013). Substance-use disorders and poverty as prospective predictors of first-time homelessness in the united states. American Journal of Public Health, 103(S2), S282-S288. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301302