Alexander-Eitzman, B., Pollio, D. E., & North, C. S. (2013). The neighborhood context of homelessness. American Journal of Public Health, 103(4), 679-685.
A longitudinal study of four-hundred homeless adults located in the St. Louis area was conducted by collecting the previous addresses and sleeping locations of the individuals and comparisons were made over a one to two year follow-up interview. The intention of this article is to examine the changing neighborhood characteristics of homeless adults. This study identifies the type of areas homeless individuals are more likely to use for sleeping locations such as shelters and housing opportunities while also comparing the surrounding resources. Typically, homeless individuals are more likely …show more content…
These pathways include mental health, substance abuse, youth to adult, housing crisis, and family breakdown. By identifying these pathways we are able to understand the factors contributing not only to why individuals become homeless but also why they continue to stay homeless for extended periods of time. This article notes that individuals who enter homelessness due to family breakdown or housing crisis have a shorter time period of being homeless; whereas, individuals who become homeless because of substance abuse become engaged in the subculture and have a longer period of homelessness. The article “shows that the youth to adult pathway was the largest entry pathway, accounting for 35 percent of the homeless” (p. 66). Reasons for the youth to adult pathway contributing to a higher percentage of population can be attributed to youth who had been previously in the care of the state, or some type of protection system. More commonly, “They had traumatic family experiences, including sexual and physical abuse, parental drug addiction and family violence” (p. …show more content…
After viewing interactions of different factors such as pathways, social and individual consequences, and temporal dimensions they propose an ecological model of homelessness. In creating this model, the article maintains consistency with the complexity of homelessness. It suggests four primary components which are biopsychological risk factors, individual and social outcomes, the temporal dimension, and housing outcomes. Biopsychological risk factors have not yet been considered in previous articles. Moreover, “The concept of biopsychosocial implies an ecological perspective” which helps understand how biology, poverty, housing and many other issues relate to homelessness (p. 106). There are so many factors that contribute to why an individual or family becomes homeless. Some of these factors include, “resource availability, policies, culture, discrimination, and social situations” (p. 106). The study identified that unemployment is a major cause of homelessness, stating that many “jobs do not provide adequate wages and benefits for self-sufficiency, a trend spanning a number of years” (p.
A longitudinal study of four-hundred homeless adults located in the St. Louis area was conducted by collecting the previous addresses and sleeping locations of the individuals and comparisons were made over a one to two year follow-up interview. The intention of this article is to examine the changing neighborhood characteristics of homeless adults. This study identifies the type of areas homeless individuals are more likely to use for sleeping locations such as shelters and housing opportunities while also comparing the surrounding resources. Typically, homeless individuals are more likely …show more content…
These pathways include mental health, substance abuse, youth to adult, housing crisis, and family breakdown. By identifying these pathways we are able to understand the factors contributing not only to why individuals become homeless but also why they continue to stay homeless for extended periods of time. This article notes that individuals who enter homelessness due to family breakdown or housing crisis have a shorter time period of being homeless; whereas, individuals who become homeless because of substance abuse become engaged in the subculture and have a longer period of homelessness. The article “shows that the youth to adult pathway was the largest entry pathway, accounting for 35 percent of the homeless” (p. 66). Reasons for the youth to adult pathway contributing to a higher percentage of population can be attributed to youth who had been previously in the care of the state, or some type of protection system. More commonly, “They had traumatic family experiences, including sexual and physical abuse, parental drug addiction and family violence” (p. …show more content…
After viewing interactions of different factors such as pathways, social and individual consequences, and temporal dimensions they propose an ecological model of homelessness. In creating this model, the article maintains consistency with the complexity of homelessness. It suggests four primary components which are biopsychological risk factors, individual and social outcomes, the temporal dimension, and housing outcomes. Biopsychological risk factors have not yet been considered in previous articles. Moreover, “The concept of biopsychosocial implies an ecological perspective” which helps understand how biology, poverty, housing and many other issues relate to homelessness (p. 106). There are so many factors that contribute to why an individual or family becomes homeless. Some of these factors include, “resource availability, policies, culture, discrimination, and social situations” (p. 106). The study identified that unemployment is a major cause of homelessness, stating that many “jobs do not provide adequate wages and benefits for self-sufficiency, a trend spanning a number of years” (p.