A Comparison Study of Homeless and Non-Homeless HIV-Positive Persons Enrolled in Mental Health Care

Abstract

Homelessness and HIV are significant social problems that exacerbate one another. While the literature contains a number of descriptive studies on the persons who struggle with these issues, there is a dearth of comparative studies to help social workers better understand the differences between individuals who are HIV-positive and homeless and those who are HIV-positive and domiciled. This study examined the differences in psychological distress, medical illness, care, insurance, and social service acquisition and the impact on service delivery that these differences imply. This study employed a correlational design to examine a sample of 528 HIV-positive persons, 193 homeless and 335 domiciled, who had self-enrolled into care at an HIV-focused mental health clinic. The findings suggest that there are more similarities between homeless and non-homeless HIV-positive persons than were expected. HIV-positive homeless persons were also more likely to access social services such as transportation, housing, and substance abuse treatment. The implications for social workers involved in treatment planning and service delivery are discussed.

Key Words:

• HIV
• homelessness
• mental health
• social services