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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Carol L.M. Caton, PhD1, Boanerges Dominguez, MS1, Deborah S. Hasin, PhD1, Alan Felix, MD1, Hunter McQuistion, MD2, Lewis A. Opler, MD, PhD3, and Patrick E. Shrout, PhD4. (1) Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 56, New York, NY 10032, 212-305-3503, clc3@columbia.edu, (2) Project Renewal, 200 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014, (3) New York State Office of Mental Health, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, (4) Psychology, New York University, 6 Washington Place, Room 550, New York, NY 10003
Objective: Do reasons for first-time homelessness differ depending on a person's mental health status or use of alcohol or drugs? Comparative data based on precise definition of homeless onset and state-of-the-art diagnostic methods have been lacking. Method: We are conducting a N.I.D.A.-funded longitudinal study of the course of homeless among 400 newly literally homeless adults admitted to shelters in New York City. Subjects able to give voluntary informed consent are interviewed at admission and at six-month intervals with a battery of standardized assessments including the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Results: More than half of study subjects had a lifetime DSM-IV Axis I diagnosis, typically mood disorders. Only one in ten carried a diagnosis of psychotic disorder. Approximately two-thirds of men and one-third of women also had lifetime diagnoses of substance use disorders. The most common reason for first-time homelessness, reported by one of every three subjects, was interpersonal difficulties with other household members. Economic problems, including job loss, ranked second, and release from jail or prison without housing placement, ranked third. Reasons for homelessness did not differ for those with and without an Axis I disorder. Subjects newly homeless after jail or prison release were, however, three times more likely to carry a diagnosis of substance use disorder compared to those homeless for some other reason. Conclusion: Findings shed light on the relationship of psychiatric and substance use disorders to the initial onset of homelessness. Results suggest that interventions to prevent homelessness should address the interpersonal, economic, and service system gaps leading to housing loss.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to
Keywords: Homelessness, Mental Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.