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Publication Date: 2013
Objectives. We comprehensively assessed health care utilization in a population-based sample of homeless adults and matched controls under a universal health insurance system.
Methods. We assessed health care utilization by 1165 homeless single men and women and adults in families and their age- and gender-matched low-income controls in Toronto, Ontario, from 2005 to 2009, using repeated-measures general linear models to calculate risk ratios and...
Publication Date: 2013
Objectives. We identified factors associated with inpatient hospitalizations among a population-based cohort of homeless adults in Toronto, Ontario.
Methods. We recruited participants from shelters and meal programs. We then linked them to administrative databases to capture hospital admissions during the study (2005–2009). We used logistic regression to identify predictors of medical or surgical and psychiatric hospitalizations.
Results. Among...
Publication Date: 2014
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 factor...
Publication Date: 2010
Homelessness and poverty can present serious health issues for children, including those associated with developmental delays. Early identification and intervention may decrease risk associated with delayed development. Parent-completed measures have been used to help screen for children's development, but little is known about how they may enhance early detection with homeless children. The primary aims of this pilot study were to describe growt...
Publication Date: 2010
Objectives. We examined the extent of unmet needs and barriers to accessing health care among homeless people within a universal health insurance system.
Methods. We randomly selected a representative sample of 1169 homeless individuals at shelters and meal programs in Toronto, Ontario. We determined the prevalence of self-reported unmet needs for health care in the past 12 months and used regression analyses to identify factors associated with u...
Publication Date: 2010
Background Drug use is believed to be an important factor contributing to the poor health and increased mortality risk that has been widely observed among homeless individuals. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of drug use among a representative sample of homeless individuals and to examine the association between drug problems and physical and mental health status. Methods Recruitment of 603 sin...
Publication Date: 2009
This study provides reliable and valuable information on the characteristics of Domiciliary Hostel tenants in Ontario. Since the inception of the Domiciliary Hostel Program more than three decades ago, this program has clearly evolved from housing frail seniors to housing a diverse group of vulnerable adults, including individuals with mental and physical illness, developmental disabilities, as well as the elderly. While it is beyond the scope of...
Publication Date: 2009
The goal of this project is to support policy work and service planning by providing reliable information about the characteristics and service needs of tenants in the Domiciliary Hostel Program in Ontario. The specific objectives of this research project were: 1) To describe the characteristics of Domiciliary Hostel Program tenants; 2) To describe Domiciliary Hostel Program tenants’ use of community supports and services, use of health care,...