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Community Mental Health Journal
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal 5/2014

01-07-2014 | Brief Report

Factors Associated with Poor Mental Health Status Among Homeless Women With and Without Dependent Children

Authors: Catharine Chambers, Shirley Chiu, Allison N. Scott, George Tolomiczenko, Donald A. Redelmeier, Wendy Levinson, Stephen W. Hwang

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 5/2014

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of mental health problems among a representative sample of homeless women with and without dependent children and determine if the effects of risk factors for mental health are modified by the presence of dependent children. Homeless women (n = 522) were recruited in 2004–2005 from shelters and meal programs in Toronto, Canada. Linear and logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with mental health status. Poor mental health was associated with low perceived access to social support, physical/sexual assault in the past 12 months, presence of a chronic health condition, and presence of a drug use problem in the past month. Efforts to improve mental health in this population will need to address the associated problems of victimization, substance abuse, and lack of social supports.
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Metadata
Title
Factors Associated with Poor Mental Health Status Among Homeless Women With and Without Dependent Children
Authors
Catharine Chambers
Shirley Chiu
Allison N. Scott
George Tolomiczenko
Donald A. Redelmeier
Wendy Levinson
Stephen W. Hwang
Publication date
01-07-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 5/2014
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9605-7

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