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Online Program

326530
Homeless women's social network composition and tangible support differ from homeless men's


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 3:30 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Hailey Winetrobe, MPH, CHES, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Harmony Rhoades, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Suzanne Wenzel, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Eric Rice, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Benjamin Henwood, PhD, LCSW, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Taylor Harris, MA, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background:  Permanent supportive housing (PSH) is an intervention to end homelessness in Los Angeles.  Housing priorities are given to the most vulnerable.  

Purpose:  To understand if there are gender differences among homeless adults who are moving into PSH.

Methods:  An initial sample of 129 homeless men and women, at least 40 years old, moving into PSH were recruited from community-based housing organizations.  The interviewer-administered questionnaire and social network interview addressed participants’ social networks, support, and service utilization.

Results:  Homeless women reported denser social networks, networks with a significantly greater proportion of relatives (35.4% versus 24.6%) and relatives who gave advice (13.1% versus 7.0%).  Women also reported a significantly greater proportion of people with whom they communicated via social media (10.1% versus 4.1%) and a smaller proportion of people in their networks who lived/worked far away (30.2% versus 44.8%).  Although more women than men received food (81.8% versus 61.5%) and therapy services (78.8% versus 59.4%) in the prior 30 days, women lacked other resources.  Women’s past 30 day income was significantly less than men’s ($458 versus $669), and women were significantly more likely than men to have been on a waitlist to receive PSH (81.3% versus 54.1%).

Conclusions:  Women may be well-connected to their social networks, including relatives who provide advice, and are utilizing some services more than men (including food and therapy).  However, because women receive less tangible support (i.e., lower income, PSH waitlist), they may face greater difficulties than men in achieving housing and providing for their basic needs.  

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the social network composition differences between homeless men and homeless women. Identify the tangible support differences between homeless men and homeless women.

Keyword(s): Homelessness, Women's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working with homeless people for six years and have been involved in social network research for four years. I earned my MPH at UCLA and am a Certified Health Education Specialist.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4362.0: No place like home: The impact of homelessness on women’s health