Observations from the field: interviewers’ experiences interviewing and retaining homeless and vulnerably housed participants in longitudinal health research

ABSTRACT

Conducting longitudinal research with homeless or vulnerably housed (HVH) participants is challenging. Homelessness, poverty, mental health issues, and addiction are social issues with which most cities in North America are grappling today. The study purpose was to explore the experiences of, and lessons learned by, staff in interviewing and retaining HVH adults in a marginalized neighborhood over the course of a 4 year longitudinal study. Four frontline interviewers from the Vancouver Health and Housing in Transition research team participated in six focus group sessions. Content analysis of transcriptions revealed three dominant themes: tracking and retention strategies; interviewer training and support; and interview dynamics. Participants’ mental health and substance use impacted all stages of the research. Interviewers’ experiences, observations, and recommendations contribute to the literature on interviewing and retaining HVH adults in longitudinal research as well as the training and support of staff.

KEYWORDS:

• Homeless
• interview
• longitudinal research
• mental health
• retention
• survey
• tracking

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Julie Parnell for her dedication as a HHiT interviewer and her participation in the focus groups conducted for this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Julia Gerlitz is a registered clinical counsellor and alumni of the University of British Columbia's Counselling Psychology Master’s Program. She currently works for the Interior Health Authority of British Columbia, Canada as a clinician and program coordinator for the Kootenay Boundary Adult Supported Recovery and Housing Program for individuals experiencing homelessness and concurrent disorders. Julia previously worked as a frontline interviewer for the Health and Housing in Transition Study in Vancouver from 2009 to 2011 where she interviewed dozens of individuals about the impact of housing transitions on health.

Roxanne Joyce is a registered clinical counsellor and completed her Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia. She worked as a frontline interviewer for the Health and Housing in Transition Study in Vancouver and has worked as a researcher on numerous research projects on the topics of public health, addictions, and homelessness. Currently, Roxanne specializes in occupational health and supports physicians while working at Doctors of BC.

Anne Gadermann is an assistant professor at the Human Early Learning Partnership , School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, and Research Scientist at the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcomes Sciences (CHEOS), Providence Health Care Research Institute in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Her research focuses on examining the social determinants of physical and mental health and quality of life in populations across the lifespan, including individuals who are homeless or vulnerably housed.

Anita M. Hubley is a full professor in Measurement, Evaluation, and Research Methodology and director of the Adult Development and Psychometrics Lab in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Author of more than 90 publications, Dr. Hubley is recognized internationally for her expertise in validity, test development, psychological and health assessment, and measurement in areas such as neuropsychology, quality of life, depression, and homelessness.

Sophie Ma Zhu is a graduate of the Master of Arts program in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia. She worked on data auditing and reconciliation for the Health and Housing in Transition Study in Vancouver and liaised closely with the frontline interviewers.

Meagan Stowe is currently a constable with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Prior to her career in policing, Meagan worked as an interviewer for the Health and Housing in Transition Study in Vancouver from 2010 to 2013. She completed an undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia with a major in psychology and gender studies.

Anita Palepu, MD, MPH, FRCPC, MACP, is a professor of Medicine and head of the Division of Internal Medicine, University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She works as a general internist at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. She conducts her research at the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHEOS) and has a research program that falls under the broad umbrella of urban health research with particular interest in vulnerable populations such as homeless persons and drug users. She is an associate editor for the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for the Health and Housing in Transition (HHiT) study was received from an operating grant [grant number MOP-86765] and an Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement Grant on Homelessness, Housing and Health [grant number HOA-80066] from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.