scholarly journals Unsheltered homeless and unstably housed adults have higher levels of stress and more health risk factors than sheltered homeless adults

Author(s):  
Chaelin K. Ra ◽  
Emily T. Hébert ◽  
Adam Alexander ◽  
Darla E. Kendzor ◽  
Robert Suchting ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaelin K. Ra ◽  
Emily T. Hébert ◽  
Adam Alexander ◽  
Darla E. Kendzor ◽  
Robert Suchting ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: In the United States, approximately 568,000 individuals are homeless on a single night. Homelessness can be categorized into three subgroups: sheltered homeless, unsheltered homeless, and unstably housed. Few studies have examined the relations between homelessness subtypes, shelter service utilization, levels of stress experienced, and health risk factors. This study aimed to empirically examine whether shelter status the previous night was related to current stress, recent utilization of shelter-based mental health services, and current health risk factors.Methods: Data were collected at multiple homeless shelters in 2016 in the Oklahoma City area (N=575). All participants completed assessments of demographic characteristics, including age, sex, race, marital status, years of education, and incarceration history and victimization. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine relations between homelessness subgroups and outcomes (shelter-based service utilization, health risk factors, and stressors). Results: Results indicated that the sheltered group was younger and more likely to be White than the unsheltered group, had higher levels of education, and reported more lifetime months in jail than the unstably housed group. In addition, unsheltered homeless and unstably housed adults used fewer shelter-based health services, exhibited more health risk factors, experienced greater levels of stress, and had higher levels of food insecurity than sheltered homeless adults.Conclusion: Homeless adults who reside at shelters benefit most from available shelter services. The development of policies and programs targeted toward increasing sheltering options for unsheltered and unstably housed adults is needed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin M. Taylor ◽  
Darla E. Kendzor ◽  
Lorraine R. Reitzel ◽  
Michael S. Businelle

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaelin Karen Ra ◽  
Emily Hebert ◽  
Adam Alexander ◽  
Darla Kendzor ◽  
Robert Suchting ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: In the United States, approximately 568,000 individuals are homeless on a single night. Homelessness can be categorized into three subgroups: sheltered homeless, unsheltered homeless, and unstably housed. Few studies have examined the relations between homelessness subtypes, shelter service utilization, levels of stress experienced, and health risk factors. Methods: Data were collected at multiple homeless shelters in 2016 in the Oklahoma City area (N=575). Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine relations between homelessness subgroups and outcomes.Results: Results indicated that the sheltered group was younger and more likely to be White than the unsheltered group, and had higher levels of education than the unstably housed group. In addition, unsheltered homeless and unstably housed adults used fewer shelter-based health services, exhibited more health risk factors, experienced greater levels of stress, and had higher levels of food insecurity than sheltered homeless adults.Conclusions: Homeless adults who reside at shelters benefit most from available shelter services. The development of policies and programs targeted toward increasing sheltering options for unsheltered and unstably housed adults is needed.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. Thomas ◽  
Jen Hanley ◽  
Christy Tomczak ◽  
Jennifer Wuchteil ◽  
Nathan Underwood ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junhan Cho ◽  
Lorraine I. Kelley-Quon ◽  
Jessica L. Barrington-Trimis ◽  
Afton Kechter ◽  
Sarah Axeen ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 026010602199693
Author(s):  
Prince Atorkey ◽  
Mariam Akwei ◽  
Winifred Asare-Doku

Background: Carbonated soft drinks consumption is associated with weight gain and other chronic diseases. Aim: To examine whether socio-demographic factors, health risk factors and psychological distress are associated with carbonated soft drink consumption among adolescents in selected senior high schools in Ghana. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2012 Ghana Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Participants consisted of 1756 school-going adolescents sampled using a two-stage cluster sampling method. Binomial logistic regression was used to determine whether socio-demographic factors, health risk factors and psychological distress were associated with consumption of soft drinks. Results: The prevalence of carbonated soft drinks consumption was 34.9%. Males (odds ratio (OR) = 0.73 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.59–0.92); p = 0.007), and participants with high socio-economic status (OR = 0.76 (95% CI 0.48–0.97); p = 0.033) had smaller odds for consumption of soft drinks. Also, adolescents in Senior High School (SHS) 3 (OR = 0.72 (95% CI 0.53–0.97); p = 0.034) and SHS 4 (OR = 0.63 (95% CI 0.43–0.91); p = 0.014) had smaller odds for soft drinks intake compared to those in SHS 1. Health risk factors associated with greater odds of high soft drink consumption were tobacco use (OR = 1.68, (95% CI 1.07–2.65); p = 0.025), fast food consumption (OR = 1.88, (95% CI 1.47–2.41); p = 0.011) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.43, (95% CI 1.02–1.99); p = 0.039). Consuming adequate fruit (OR = 0.19 (95% CI 0.15–0.24); p = 0.000) and adequate vegetable (OR = 0.55 (95% CI 0.34–0.87); p = 0.011) were associated with lower odds for soft drink consumption. Adolescents who reported feeling anxious had smaller odds for soft drink intake (OR = 0.65, (95% CI 0.47–0.91); p = 0.011). Conclusions: The findings from this study show that socio-demographic characteristics, health risk factors and psychological distress are associated with the soft drink consumption among adolescents in Ghana. Interventions aimed at reducing soft drink consumption and other health risk factors are needed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135910452199463
Author(s):  
Sara Moreno-Mansilla ◽  
Jorge J Ricarte ◽  
David J Hallford

Introduction: Cannabis is the most widely used psychoactive substance among adolescents worldwide, and the age at which consumption begins to decrease. Cannabis use in adolescents is associated with a wide range of adverse consequences in adulthood including increased vulnerability to psychosis and other mental disorders, as well as suicidal ideation and attempt. The aim of this study is to extend understanding of the link between cannabis use and mental illness by examining whether cannabis use at early ages predicts transdiagnostic variables that are precursors to severe clinical diagnoses. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample was made up of 605 adolescents from 7th to 9th grades, with a mean age of 13.2 years ( SD = 1.0, 47% girls). The variables evaluated were: anomalous perception of reality, intolerance of uncertainty, rumination, suicide attempt, hopelessness, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The administration of the questionnaires was carried out in groups of 20 participants under the supervision of a researcher in a unique session of 1 hour. Results: Adolescent cannabis users scored higher on all variables assessed: anomalous perception of reality (Cohen’s d = .60), rumination ( d = .48), intolerance of uncertainty ( d = .11), suicidal attempt (affirmative answer: 25.9% of users vs 7.7% of non-users), hopelessness ( d = .85), symptoms of depression ( d = .80), and anxiety ( d = .39). A binary logistic regression showed that the only variable uniquely related to cannabis use was hopelessness (Wald = 4.560, OR: 1.159, p = .033). Conclusions: Among some mental health risk factors, hopelessness appears uniquely related to cannabis use. Adolescents may use cannabis as a coping strategy for negative thoughts and emotions, or it may be a consequence of cannabis use. Future prevention programs should focus on preventing/treating modifiable factors such as hopelessness, and delaying cannabis use in specific subgroups of adolescents who experience pathologies such as depression or suicide attempts.


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