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A mixed methods analysis of housing and neighbourhood impacts on community integration among vulnerably housed and homeless individuals
Author(s) -
Ecker John,
Aubry Tim
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/jcop.21864
Subject(s) - neighbourhood (mathematics) , community integration , housing first , gerontology , psychology , longitudinal study , qualitative research , population , salient , medicine , environmental health , sociology , geography , physical therapy , psychiatry , mathematical analysis , mathematics , social science , archaeology , mental illness , pathology , mental health
The current longitudinal study used mixed methods to examine the relationship of housing and neighborhood characteristics and community integration among a population of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals. Participants were recruited at homeless shelters, meal programs, and rooming houses in Ottawa, Canada, and participated in 3 in‐person interviews, each approximately 1 year apart. Participants were placed into either a “high” or a “low” integration group based on their community integration scores at Follow‐up 1 and Follow‐up 2. There were 14 high and 32 low integration participants at Follow‐up 1, and 17 high and 35 low participants at Follow‐up 2. A general inductive approach to analyzing qualitative data was used to code the data. The most salient themes that affected community integration involved substance use in one's housing and neighborhood, neighborhood safety and location, and housing quality. Implications for service provision and policy advancements to better address community integration are discussed.