Substance Use and Psychological Distress Is Related With Accommodation Status Among Homeless Immigrants.

Immigrant homelessness constitutes a cruel expression of social exclusion. We analyzed the relation of sociodemographic characteristics with stressful life events, substance use and psychological distress, giving a special importance to the influence of the time spent on the streets and the accommod...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Navarro Lashayas, Miguel Angel, Eiroá Orosa, Francisco José
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2017
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/127392
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/127392
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Alcohol
Drogues
Persones sense sostre
Investigació amb mètodes mixtos
Drugs of abuse
Homeless persons
Mixed methods research
Description
Summary:Immigrant homelessness constitutes a cruel expression of social exclusion. We analyzed the relation of sociodemographic characteristics with stressful life events, substance use and psychological distress, giving a special importance to the influence of the time spent on the streets and the accommodation status of 107 homeless immigrants. To this end, both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were combined. Discussion groups with care resources practitioners and service users, were followed by in depth interviews combined with psychometric questionnaires. Results show clear interrelations between stressful life events, alcohol and drug use, psychological distress, and the duration of (current) homelessness. This information, and especially the contextualization which took place within the analytical framework of this project, may provide practitioners and policymakers with information that can help overcome barriers preventing homeless immigrants' full citizenship and social participation.