Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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Author(s): Marc Vogel, Anastasia Frank, Fiona Choi, Verena Strehlau, Nooshin Nikoo, Mohammadali Nikoo, Stephen W Hwang, Julian Somers, Michael R Krausz, Christian G Schütz
Publisher: Oxford Academic
Publication Date: 2017
Chronic pain is an important public health issue. However, characteristics and needs of marginalized populations have received limited attention. Studies on prevalence and correlates of chronic pain among homeless persons are lacking. This study assessed chronic pain among homeless persons with mental illness in the At Home/Chez Soi study.
Author(s): Karen Urbanoski, Scott Veldhuizen, Michael Krausz, Christian Schütz, Julian M. Somers, Maritt Kirst, Marie-Josée Fleury, Vicky Stergiopoulos, Michelle Patterson, Verena Strehlau, Paula Goering
Publication Date: 2017
Background and Aims
Evidence supports the effectiveness of Housing First (HF) programs for people who are experiencing homelessness and mental illness; however, questions remain about its use in people with comorbid substance use disorders (SUD). The aim of this project was to test whether SUD modifies the effectiveness of an HF intervention.
Design
Secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of HF versus treatment-as-usual (TAU...
Author(s): Verena Strehlau, Iris Torchalla, Michelle Patterson, Akm Moniruzzaman, Allison Laing, Sindi Addorisiob, Jim Frankish, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2017
Background
Homeless individuals with mental illness are challenging to recruit and retain in longitudinal research studies. The present study uses information from the Vancouver site of a Canadian multi-city longitudinal randomized controlled trial on housing first interventions for homeless individuals. We were able to recruit 500 participants and retain large number of homeless individuals with mental illness; 92% of the participants completed...
Author(s): Marc Vogel, Anastasia Frank, Fiona Choi, Verena Strehlau, Nooshin Nikoo, Mohammadali Nikoo, Stephen W. Hwang, Julian Somers, Michael R. Krausz, Christian G. Schu¨ tz
Publication Date: 2017
Objective
Chronic pain is an important public health issue. However, characteristics and needs of marginalized populations have received limited attention. Studies on prevalence and correlates of chronic pain among homeless persons are lacking. We assessed chronic pain among homeless persons with mental illness in the At Home/Chez Soi study.
Design
Cross-sectional data from a randomized controlled trial on homelessness and mental health.
Setting...
Author(s): Verena Strehlau, Iris Torchalla, Isabelle Linden, Kathy Li, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2014
It is well known that homeless individuals are at risk for a variety of health problems, including sexually transmissible infections. Optimisation of health services for the homeless requires knowledge of their sexual health. The sexual health and sexual vulnerability factors of 500 homeless adults (196 women) were assessed in a cross-sectional survey in three Canadian cities. Our data indicate that a significant proportion of individuals and mor...
Author(s): Iris Torchalla, Kathy Li, Verena Strehlau, Isabelle Aube Linden, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2014
This study examined religious behaviors in 380 homeless individuals. We hypothesized that higher frequency of religious attendance is associated with lower rates of use of all substances, lower rates of drug and alcohol dependence, and lower psychological distress. Individuals attending religious ceremonies at least weekly ("frequent attendees") were compared to infrequent attendees. Participants also provided qualitative information about their...
Author(s): Iris Torchalla;, Verena Strehlau, Kathy Li, Isabelle Aube Linden, François Noël, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2014
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are highly prevalent in homeless populations, and rates are typically greater among males. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common co-occurring condition among individuals with SUDs; however, little attention has been directed to examining this comorbidity in homeless populations. Although some studies indicate considerable sex differences among individuals with PTSD, it has also been suggested that sex dif...
Author(s): François Noël, Akm Moniruzzaman, Julian Somers, Jim Frankish, Verena Strehlau, Christian Schütz, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2015
Purpose
Previous cross-sectional studies have indicated that homeless individuals may present with high rates of suicidal ideation, which are strongly associated with completed suicide. We conducted the first known longitudinal study of suicidal ideation in the homeless.
Methods
We used data collected over 24 months in the Vancouver At Home project (N = 497), comprised two randomized-controlled trials of housing interventions for homeless indi...
Author(s): Iris Torchalla, Isabelle Aube Linden, Verena Strehlau, Erika K. Neilson, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2015
Background
Women living in poor and vulnerable neighbourhoods like Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) face multiple burdens related to the social determinants of health. Many of them struggle with addiction, are involved in the sex trade and experience homelessness and gender-based violence. Such evidence suggests that psychological trauma is also a common experience for these women.
Methods
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore...
Author(s): Nooshin Nikoo, Marjan Motamed, Mohammad Ali Nikoo, Verena Strehlau, Erika Neilson, Saddicha Sahoo, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2015
Objective
Morbidity and mortality among homeless individuals is higher than the general population. This study aims to determine the prevalence of current sel f-reported, chronic physical health conditions in a large sample of homeless people with sub-sa mples from shelters and street in British Columbia, Canada.
Methods
Cross-sectional survey applying modified version of the ‘National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC)’...
Author(s): Reinhardt Michael Krausz, Adam F Clarkson, Verena Strehlau, Iris Torchalla, Kathy Li, Christian G. Schuetz
Publication Date: 2013
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, m...
Author(s): Anita Palepu, Michelle Patterson, Verena Strehlau, Akm Moniruzzamen, Jason Tan de Bibiana, James Frankish, Michael Krausz, Julian Somers
Publication Date: 2012
Substance use can be a barrier to stable housing for homeless persons with mental disorders. We examined DSM-IV symptoms among homeless adults (N = 497), comparing those who reported daily substance use (DSU) with non-daily substance users. Multivariable linear regression modeling was used to test the independent association between DSU and symptoms using the Colorado Symptom Index total score. DSU was independently associated with higher symptom...
Author(s): Geoffrey Nelson, Eric Macnaughton, Paula Goering, Michael Dudley, Patricia O’Campo, Michelle Patterson, Myra Piat, Ph.D., Natasha Prévost, Verena Strehlau, Catherine Vallée
Publication Date: 2012
This research focused on the relationships between a national team and five project sites across Canada in planning a complex, community intervention for homeless people with mental illness called At Home/Chez Soi, which is based on the Housing First model. The research addressed two questions: (a) what are the challenges in planning? and (b) what factors that helped or hindered moving project planning forward? Using qualitative methods, 149 nati...
Author(s): Iris Torchalla, Verena Strehlau, Kathy Li, Christian Schuetz, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2012
This study explored self-reports of five childhood maltreatment (CM) subtypes and their associations with current suicide risk in a sample of 500 homeless persons. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Individual, unique, and cumulative associations of CM subtypes and subtype combinations with suicide risk (no vs. low vs. moderate/high) were examined. In multivariate analy...
Author(s): Iris Torchalla, Verena Strehlau, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Kathy Li, Christian Schuetz, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2011
Objective: To assess prevalence rates of tobacco use and dependence in a sample of homeless individuals and to investigate trends for demographic and clinical characteristics across different levels of nicotine dependence (nonsmokers vs. lowly dependent smokers vs. highly dependent smokers). Methods: A cross-sectional study of 489 homeless men and women in 3 Canadian cities. Each subject was assessed using structured clinical interviews and th...
Author(s): Iris Torchalla, Verena Strehlau, Kathy Li, Michael Krausz
Publication Date: 2011
Objective: To examine lifetime and current prevalence rates of substance use disorders and the demographic and clinical correlates of current drug dependence in a sample of homeless women.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of 196 homeless women in three Canadian cities was done. Each subject was assessed using structured clinical interviews. A multivariate regression model was applied to determine predictors of substance use.
Results: The mean age...