Homelessness and Vulnerability Among Adults With and Without Alcohol Problems

• NCJ Number: 169035
• Journal: Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 32 Issue: 7 & 8 Dated: special issue (June 1997) Pages: 939-968
• Author(s): M R Sosin; M Bruni
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 30 pages
• Grant Number(s): AA 08773
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

Because many studies compare traits of homeless adults across levels of alcohol use but few specifically consider whether drinking status affects determinants of either homelessness or vulnerability to homelessness, data were obtained from a 1986 sample of 535 homeless adults in Chicago.

Abstract

The study aimed to consider the potential contributions of resources, social network characteristics, and mental health problems to homelessness. Results suggested that resource problems may determine homelessness regardless of drinking status but that drinking-associated problems may raise the resource threshold for vulnerability to homelessness, reduce the protection afforded by social networks against both homelessness and vulnerability, increase the deleterious impact of disaffiliation, and spur complicating mental health problems. The authors conclude alcohol problems have complex effects, and they recommend further research to assess vulnerability to homelessness in light of available resources to deal with alcohol abuse and other personal-mental health problems. 107 references, 8 notes, 5 tables, and 1 figure