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Quality of Life and Mental Well-Being: A Gendered Analysis of Persons Experiencing Homelessness in Canada

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Abstract

Homelessness has negative implications for mental well-being and quality of life. This paper identifies the quality of life variables that contribute to positive or negative wellbeing, reporting on a regression analysis from 343 individuals experiencing homelessness in Canada. Results indicate that a lack of sleep duration and quality reduced mental well-being for both genders, not having access to food and/or hygiene facilities decreased men’s well-being, and engaging in illegal subsistence strategies, such as selling drugs, negatively impacted women’s mental well-being. For persons experiencing homelessness, mental well-being and quality-of-life are gendered outcomes of their limited access to social determinants of health.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Planning and Dissemination Grant (Grant 201408PDI) “Pandemic Preparedness: Knowledge Translation in the Ontario Homelessness Sector” to Kristy Buccieri. This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant 200904PAP-203559-PAM-CEPA-119142), “Understanding Pandemic Preparedness in the Context of the Canadian Homelessness Crisis” to Stephen Gaetz. This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant 20100H1N-218568-H1N-CEPA-119142) “Responding to H1N1 in the Context of Homelessness in Canada” to Stephen Gaetz.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Dr, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada

    Kristy Buccieri

  2. Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Room 3344 FNB, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada

    Abram Oudshoorn

  3. Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Professional Faculties 4242, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Jeannette Waegemakers Schiff

  4. Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Technology Enterprise Facility Room 273, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada

    Bernadette Pauly

  5. Health Sciences, Lakehead University, SN 1006B, 955 Oliver Rd, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada

    Rebecca Schiff

  6. Faculty of Education, York University, 631 York Research Tower, Keele Campus, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada

    Stephen Gaetz

Authors
  1. Kristy Buccieri
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  2. Abram Oudshoorn
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  3. Jeannette Waegemakers Schiff
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  4. Bernadette Pauly
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  5. Rebecca Schiff
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  6. Stephen Gaetz
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Correspondence to Kristy Buccieri.

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Buccieri, K., Oudshoorn, A., Waegemakers Schiff, J. et al. Quality of Life and Mental Well-Being: A Gendered Analysis of Persons Experiencing Homelessness in Canada. Community Ment Health J 56, 1496–1503 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00596-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00596-6

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