Abstract
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to identify what is most important to the quality of life (QoL) of those who experience homelessness by directly soliciting the views of homeless and hard-to-house Canadians themselves. These individuals live within a unique social context that differs considerably from that of the general population. To understand the life areas that are most important to them, it is critical to have direct input from target populations of homeless and hard-to-house persons.MethodsFocus groups were conducted with 140 individuals aged 15 to 73 years who were homeless or hard-to-house to explore the circumstances in which they were living and to capture what they find to be important and relevant domains of QoL. Participants were recruited in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver. Content analysis was used to analyze the data.ResultsSix major content themes emerged: Health/health care; Living conditions; Financial situation; Employment situation; Relationships; and Recreational and leisure activities. These themes were linked to broader concepts that included having choices, stability, respect, and the same rights as other members of society.ConclusionsThese findings not only aid our understanding of QoL in this group, but may be used to develop measures that capture QoL in this population and help programs and policies become more effective in improving the life situation for persons who are homeless and hard-to-house.Quality of life themes in Canadian adults and street youth who are homeless or hard-to-house: A multi-site focus group study.
Highlights
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines quality of life (QoL) as “an individual’s perceptions of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live, and in relation to their goals, expectations, and concerns” (p. 13) [1]
Participants Participants consisted of a total of 140 homeless and hard-to-house individuals living in four Canadian cities (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver) – see Table 1
In summary, homeless and hard-to-house adults and street youth from multiple sites in Canada identified six key content themes - health/health care, living conditions, financial situation, employment situation, relationships, and recreational and leisure activities - as being important to their QoL. These themes are similar to the life areas raised in other research but differ from the general population and other subgroups in terms of the details, examples, circumstances, and experiences of those themes in a way that reflects the unique contexts and life experiences of individuals who are homeless or hard-to-house
Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines quality of life (QoL) as “an individual’s perceptions of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live, and in relation to their goals, expectations, and concerns” (p. 13) [1]. This review found that homeless individuals tended to have lower QoL than people who are housed. The aim of this study was to identify what is most important to the quality of life (QoL) of those who experience homelessness by directly soliciting the views of homeless and hard-to-house Canadians themselves. These individuals live within a unique social context that differs considerably from that of the general population. To understand the life areas that are most important to them, it is critical to have direct input from target populations of homeless and hard-to-house persons
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
