Is homelessness a mental health problem? - PubMed

Is homelessness a mental health problem?

E L Bassuk et al. Am J Psychiatry. 1984 Dec.

Abstract

Seventy-eight homeless men, women, and children staying at an emergency shelter were interviewed. The vast majority were found to have severe psychological illnesses that largely remained untreated. Approximately 91% were given primary psychiatric diagnoses: About 40% had psychoses, 29% were chronic alcoholics, and 21% had personality disorders. Approximately one-third had been hospitalized for psychiatric care. The authors discuss the relationship of mental health policy to the homeless and suggest that shelters have become alternative institutions to meet the needs of mentally ill people who are no longer cared for by departments of mental health.

Similar articles

• A Longitudinal Study of Predictors of Housing Stability, Housing Quality, and Mental Health Functioning Among Single Homeless Individuals Staying in Emergency Shelters.

  Aubry T, Duhoux A, Klodawsky F, Ecker J, Hay E. Aubry T, et al. Am J Community Psychol. 2016 Sep;58(1-2):123-35. doi: 10.1002/ajcp.12067. Epub 2016 Jul 30. Am J Community Psychol. 2016. PMID: 27473922

• Mental health, alcohol and drug use, and criminal history among homeless adults.

  Gelberg L, Linn LS, Leake BD. Gelberg L, et al. Am J Psychiatry. 1988 Feb;145(2):191-6. doi: 10.1176/ajp.145.2.191. Am J Psychiatry. 1988. PMID: 3341464

• Homeless shelter users in the postdeinstitutionalization era.

  Stuart HL, Arboleda-Flórez J. Stuart HL, et al. Can J Psychiatry. 2000 Feb;45(1):55-62. doi: 10.1177/070674370004500108. Can J Psychiatry. 2000. PMID: 10696490

• The epidemiology of alcohol, drug, and mental disorders among homeless persons.

  Fischer PJ, Breakey WR. Fischer PJ, et al. Am Psychol. 1991 Nov;46(11):1115-28. doi: 10.1037//0003-066x.46.11.1115. Am Psychol. 1991. PMID: 1772149 Review.

• Some perspectives on deinstitutionalization.

  Lamb HR, Bachrach LL. Lamb HR, et al. Psychiatr Serv. 2001 Aug;52(8):1039-45. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.52.8.1039. Psychiatr Serv. 2001. PMID: 11474048 Review.

Cited by

• Changing Social Networks Among Homeless Individuals: A Prospective Evaluation of a Job- and Life-Skills Training Program.

  Gray HM, Shaffer PM, Nelson SE, Shaffer HJ. Gray HM, et al. Community Ment Health J. 2016 Oct;52(7):799-808. doi: 10.1007/s10597-014-9817-5. Epub 2015 Jan 7. Community Ment Health J. 2016. PMID: 25563486

• Mental health and social characteristics of the homeless: a survey of mission users.

  Fischer PJ, Shapiro S, Breakey WR, Anthony JC, Kramer M. Fischer PJ, et al. Am J Public Health. 1986 May;76(5):519-24. doi: 10.2105/ajph.76.5.519. Am J Public Health. 1986. PMID: 3963280 Free PMC article.

• All the homeless people--where do they all come from?

  Leff J. Leff J. BMJ. 1993 Mar 13;306(6879):669-70. doi: 10.1136/bmj.306.6879.669. BMJ. 1993. PMID: 8471915 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

• Risk factors for homelessness among schizophrenic men: a case-control study.

  Caton CL, Shrout PE, Eagle PF, Opler LA, Felix A, Dominguez B. Caton CL, et al. Am J Public Health. 1994 Feb;84(2):265-70. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.2.265. Am J Public Health. 1994. PMID: 8296951 Free PMC article.

• The alchemy of mental health policy: homelessness and the fourth cycle of reform.

  Goldman HH, Morrissey JP. Goldman HH, et al. Am J Public Health. 1985 Jul;75(7):727-31. doi: 10.2105/ajph.75.7.727. Am J Public Health. 1985. PMID: 4003648 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Atypon

• Medical

  • MedlinePlus Health Information