Housing interventions for homeless, pregnant/parenting women with addictions: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

Family homelessness is a growing problem in North America with most of these families headed by single women. Homeless women also experience high rates of pregnancy and addiction (drugs and alcohol). Housing interventions have been identified as key to addressing the complex needs of pregnant/early parenting, homeless women with addictions. The aim of this systematic review is to determine what housing models and programs for this population yield the best outcomes. We systematically searched 10 databases and retrieved eight articles describing four distinct studies that met the inclusion criteria for this review. Overall, improved outcomes were found for all intervention groups with the most recent and rigorous studies favoring models combining Housing First and case management. However, methodological limitations, study quality, and varied outcomes made comparison across studies difficult. Further research must be done in this area using standardized outcomes and rigorous designs to develop evidence-based best practice guidelines to address the unique needs of this population.

KEYWORDS:

• Homelessness
• women
• pregnancy
• housing models
• addictions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Jessica Krahn is a third-year student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the University of Alberta. She is interested in social inequity issues, especially homelessness and women's health.

Vera Caine is a Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. She is also a CIHR New Investigator. Her research focuses on the Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity.

Jean Chaw-Kant is a project coordinator at the University of Alberta where she works closely with Vera Caine.

Ameeta E. Singh is an Infectious Disease Physician, as well as a Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta. She maintains a general infectious diseases practice at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and a HIV/STI outpatient practice at the Edmonton STI Clinic and the Edmonton Institution for Women.

ORCID

Jessica Krahn http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0829-2912

Jean Chaw-Kant http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1249-3669