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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 8/2013

01-08-2013 | Original Paper

Mental disorder, service use, and barriers to care among 500 homeless people in 3 different urban settings

Authors: Reinhardt Michael Krausz, Adam F. Clarkson, Verena Strehlau, Iris Torchalla, Kathy Li, Christian G. Schuetz

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 8/2013

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Abstract

Objective

To determine the standardized rates of mental disorder, health service use and barriers to care in a representatively diverse sample of homeless adults in three different sized urban centers in British Columbia, Canada.

Method

Five hundred homeless adults from Vancouver, Victoria and Prince George were recruited. The MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview PLUS was used to determine current and lifetime rates of mental disorder, mental disorder episodes and suicidality. Health service use and barriers to care were recorded.

Results

Overall, 92.8 % of participants met criteria for a current mental disorder: 82.6 % for alcohol or drug dependence, 57.3 % anxiety disorder, 31.5 % mood disorder. Over half (53.4 %) met criteria for a concurrent disorder. Only 14.9 % had seen a psychiatrist and 12.7 % a mental health team in the year prior to the survey. Most common barriers included being poorly connected to the system of care and issues related to homelessness. Mental disorder rates across sites were high, however, differences were found that reflected the composition of the samples.

Conclusion

Improving the mental health state of the homeless will require significant capacity for mental health and concurrent disorder programming that is tailored to the community it intends to serve. Demographic features of the population may help in directing assessments of need.
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Metadata
Title
Mental disorder, service use, and barriers to care among 500 homeless people in 3 different urban settings
Authors
Reinhardt Michael Krausz
Adam F. Clarkson
Verena Strehlau
Iris Torchalla
Kathy Li
Christian G. Schuetz
Publication date
01-08-2013
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 8/2013
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0649-8

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