Long-term approaches to end homelessness

Patterns of violence in homeless women

Fifty percent of all women in America have reported being battered at some point in time, and one in five report regular assaults. This exploratory qualitative study's purpose was to describe reported patterns of violence in sheltered battered women. Homelessness was the adaptive response to battering. A purposive sample of 7 women described violence patterns from childhood and their most recent relationships prior to seeking shelter. In-depth audiotaped interviews indicated extreme violence and terror. Thematic analysis revealed an understanding of abusive patterns with a male partner. A theory of freedom-seeking behavior emerged, with related themes including terror, murderous thoughts, awakening, and escape. The emerging theory has implications for outreach, case finding, and identification of intervention timing for abused women.

Eight homeless mothers' tales

Families are the fastest growing subgroup of homeless people in the United States. In this qualitative study, interviews with eight homeless mothers were recorded and transcribed and themes were extracted telling of their struggles to overcome violation and find connection.

Homeless families: rebuilding connections

Young families are the fastest-growing group of homeless people in the United States. Many women have suffered violations of physical and sexual abuse, reduced income through divorce, and discrimination in seeking housing. Families have been disconnected from their homes, an adequate income, health care services, schools, and their families. Selected literature is reviewed to promote understanding and advocacy nursing for this high-risk population.

Specialty roles in community health nursing: a national survey of educational needs

This study identified population groups, health conditions, and employment settings considered appropriate for graduate-level community health nursing (CHN) practice and employment, and described the relative importance of each of these areas as assessed by CHN leaders. According to 588 leaders in CHN service and education, (1) the population groups most in need of graduate-prepared CHNs are the elderly, persons of low socioeconomic status, the homeless, adolescents, and the unemployed; and (2) the health conditions most in need of CHN services are AIDS, pregnancy and prenatal problems, low birth weight and infant mortality, stress-related illness, and Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases of the elderly. Among the many employment settings rated as having a great need for CHNs are state and local health departments and home health agencies. The findings provide the direction and justification for developing specialty options within CHN that correspond to these identified and changing needs. This article provides suggestions and possible alternatives for initiating educational change to prepare graduate-level CHNs for these various specialties and for the settings in which the specialties will be applied.

Homelessness: health-care implications

The homeless population is changing in relation to age, race, income status, educational level, gender, and composition of families. Economic, social, and political factors are identified as increasing the risk of becoming homeless. The implications of homelessness on the health of an individual and strategies to improve the health status from multiple avenues is explored.