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Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 12/2020

01-12-2020 | Original Paper

The impact of employment on recovery among individuals who are homeless with severe mental illness in the Vancouver At Home/Chez Soi trial

Authors: Kiana Yazdani, Mohammadali Nikoo, Eric C. Sayre, Fiona Choi, Kerry Jang, Reinhard Michael Krausz

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 12/2020

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Abstract

Objective

To assess impact of employment on recovery in a sample of adults from Vancouver At Home (VAH) study, who were homeless and were diagnosed with severe mental disorders.

Methods

The VAH included two randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of housing first with support intervention in vulnerable population. Employment was assessed at baseline and during the follow-up using Demographics, Housing, Vocational, and Service Use History (DSHH), and Vocational Timeline Follow-Back (VTLFB) self-report questionnaires, respectively. Recovery was examined using Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) at baseline and at 24-month follow-up visit. Multivariable regression models were built to examine: (1) the effect of current employment at baseline on RAS score at baseline, and RAS score at 24-month follow-up visit; and (2) and to examine the cumulative effect of recent employment over 8 follow-up visits on RAS score at 24-month visit. Cumulative effect of employment over the follow-up visits was weighted by recency using a pre-specified weighting function.

Results

Employment at baseline was associated with an increase in recovery score at baseline [8.06 (95% CI 1.21, 14.91); p = 0.02], but not with recovery score at 24-month follow-up visit [3.78 (−4.67, 12.24); p = 0.37]. Weighted cumulative effect of employment over 8 follow-up visits was associated with increase in RAS score at 24-month follow-up visit [8.33 (1.68, 14.99) p = 0.01].

Conclusion

Employment is associated with an increase in recovery. Our result suggests a dual effect of employment on recovery, an immediate effect through current employment, and a long-term effect of cumulative employment.
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Metadata
Title
The impact of employment on recovery among individuals who are homeless with severe mental illness in the Vancouver At Home/Chez Soi trial
Authors
Kiana Yazdani
Mohammadali Nikoo
Eric C. Sayre
Fiona Choi
Kerry Jang
Reinhard Michael Krausz
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 12/2020
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01887-9

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