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Belonging is a human need and an essential component of community integration following homelessness. Little is known about the range of studies exploring experiences of belonging following homelessness. We conducted this systematic review and meta-aggregation to address this gap using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines (PRISMA). We searched seven databases (EMBASE; PsychINFO; CINAHL; Medline; AMED; Nursing and Allied Health Database; and Sociological Abstracts), combining three main concepts: 1) homelessness; 2) belonging; and 3) transition. The search identified 2504 titles and abstracts. Of these, we included 33 studies in our review and meta-aggregation. Our meta-aggregation generated four themes describing experiences of belonging following homelessness: 1) developing a sense of belonging is a challenging process in the transition to housing; 2) shifting connections and finding new belonging; 3) belonging through engaging in meaningful activities; and 4) housing as a foundation for connection. These findings indicate that housing stability creates opportunities to belong but developing a sense of belonging is a difficult process involving changes in social networks facilitated by engaging with others in meaningful activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing quality (HQ) has been previously associated with health and quality of life. Although HQ is an important factor in preventing homelessness, little is known about the range and breadth of this body of literature. To identify existing studies, we conducted a scoping review guided by the question: "in what ways has housing quality been associated with psychosocial well-being following homelessness in existing peer-reviewed literature?" using the framework proposed by Arksey & O'Malley and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Our search was deployed in eight databases. A total of 713 titles and abstracts were screened following the removal of duplicates, and 32 articles were included in narrative synthesis. Six themes emerged from our data analysis of included articles: 1) quality of housing affecting well-being; 2) feeling forced to live in unsafe and poor-quality housing due to no other options; 3) HQ mediated by housing first; 4) determinants of HQ; 5) standardized measures of HQ; and 6) HQ is de-emphasized in research and practice following homelessness. Our findings demonstrate that HQ is associated with psychosocial well-being at micro, meso, exo, and macro systems levels for persons experiencing homelessness. We argue addressing HQ following homelessness is a key homelessness prevention strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Several systematic reviews have synthesized studies exploring the experience of homelessness. No known reviews have synthesized findings of studies exploring experiences of transitioning to housing following homelessness. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-aggregation of qualitative evidence using the methodology developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) following PRISMA guidelines. Of 8559 titles and abstracts screened, we included 57 studies in our meta-aggregation, and generated six synthesized findings: 1) trying to move on but facing ongoing individual and structural barriers; 2) home as a launching pad for self-discovery and emotional and spiritual growth; 3) social connection as a fundamental and often unmet need; 4) having housing that is the right fit and enables a sense of safety and avoidance of trauma; 5) meaningful activity as facilitating community integration and the journey home; and 6) the meaning of having services that are effective, caring, and responsive to the person. Our findings suggest that leaving homelessness is a complex process that does not immediately end with attaining a tenancy. Future research designed to understand the experiences of leaving homelessness for racialized and Indigenous persons, women leaving domestic violence, and persons identifying as 2SLGBTQ2 + are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Strategies for preventing and ending homelessness are frequently measured by their effectiveness on indices of tenancy sustainment. To shift this narrative, we conducted research to identify what is needed to "thrive" following homelessness from the perspectives of persons with lived experience in Ontario, Canada. Methods: Conducted in the context of a community-based participatory research study aimed at informing the development of intervention strategies, we interviewed 46 persons living with mental illness and/or substance use disorder [n = 25 (54.3%) unhoused; n = 21 (45.7%) housed following homelessness] using qualitative interviews. A subsample of 14 participants agreed to engage in photovoice interviews. We analysed these data abductively using thematic analysis informed by health equity and social justice. Results: Participants described experiences of "living in a state of lack" following homelessness. This essence was expressed through four themes: 1) housing as part one of the journey to home; 2) finding and keeping "my people"; 3) meaningful activity as critical for thriving following homelessness; and 4) struggling to access mental health supports in the context of challenging circumstances. Conclusions: Individuals struggle to thrive following homelessness in the context of insufficient resources. There is a need to build on existing interventions to address outcomes beyond tenancy sustainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Research aimed at identifying and evaluating approaches to homelessness has predominately focused on strategies for supporting tenancy sustainment. Fewer studies focus on strategies for enabling thriving following homelessness, and the perspectives of service providers and organisational leaders (SPOL) on this topic are rare. We conducted this study in the context of a community‐based participatory research project in two cities in Ontario, Canada. This research was aimed at identifying the strengths and challenges of existing supports in enabling thriving following homelessness, followed by co‐designing a novel intervention alongside persons with lived experience of homelessness (PWLEH) and SPOL. The current study presents the findings of interviews conducted in 2020–2021 with SPOL in organisations serving PWLEH. We interviewed 60 individuals including service providers (n = 38; 63.3%) and organisational leaders (n = 22; 36.7%) using semi‐structured qualitative interviews. Interviews were conducted and recorded on Zoom to align with physical distancing protocols associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic. Recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed abductively informed by the lenses of social justice and health equity. The essence of our findings is represented by a quote from a research participant: 'We stick people in a house and say okay, you're housed. The problem is solved'. This essence was expressed through five themes: (1) stuck in a system that prevents thriving, (2) substance use as an important coping strategy that prevents tenancy sustainment and thriving, (3) the critical importance of targeting community integration following homelessness, (4) incorporating peer expertise as imperative and (5) people need to be afforded options in selecting housing and services following homelessness. Our findings indicate that SPOL envision possibilities of thriving following homelessness yet are embedded within a system that often prevents them from supporting individuals who are leaving homelessness to do so. Research, practice and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homelessness is a pervasive challenge caused by poverty which continues to grow in economically developed countries, posing significant health impacts (Fazel et al., Lancet, 384: 1529–1540, 2014). While food security related to poverty and low income has been investigated, this review specifically explores the experience of food security during and following homelessness. Given the fact that the health of individuals who experience homelessness is known to be poor and the importance of nutrition, this is a necessary contribution. Informed by a health equity lens, this review synthesises the findings and quality of the literature regarding experiences of food security during and following homelessness in high‐income countries. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Qualitative studies published to date were obtained from six databases. We conducted a meta‐aggregation of existing qualitative findings. Twenty‐four studies on 462 participants were included in the review. Through meta‐aggregation four themes were created: (1) imposed food options as a determinant of health out of my control; (2) obtaining food for survival despite stigma or other consequences; (3) situated within a system that maintains food insecurity; and (4) surviving hardships. Persons during and following homelessness in high‐income countries face multiple challenges when securing food while situated in an oppressive system that lacks choice. Despite this, persons who have experienced homelessness demonstrate resilience by finding ways to meet their basic needs in the face of imposed barriers. Implications for research, policy and practice are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employment is frequently desired by persons who experience homelessness yet is often elusive. Little is known about the range and effectiveness of employment‐based interventions evaluated in existing literature on key psychosocial outcomes including employment participation, mental well‐being, housing tenure, community integration and substance use. To identify and synthesise existing studies, we conducted a systematic review of effectiveness using the methodology proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Following the removal of duplicates, we screened 13,398 titles and abstracts, and reviewed 79 studies at the full‐text review stage using two independent raters. A total of 16 studies met criteria for inclusion in a narrative synthesis and were subjected to critical appraisal. The majority of studies were conducted in the US (n = 14; 87.5%) with other studies published in Canada (n = 1; 6.3%) and Australia (n = 1; 6.3%). Interventions evaluated in existing studies included combined substance use and vocational skills interventions (n = 7; 43.8%), supported employment (n = 6; 37.5%), and integrated supports including an employment component (n = 3; 18.8%). The effectiveness of these interventions on employment, mental well‐being, housing tenure, community integration, and substance use is presented. Findings suggest that research evaluating employment interventions for persons who experience homelessness is in an early stage of development. Researchers and practitioners may consider collaborating with persons with lived experiences of homelessness and practitioners in co‐designing and modifying existing approaches to target key outcomes more effectively. Policymakers may consider allocating resources to such initiatives to further the development of practice and research aimed at supporting persons who experience homelessness to secure and sustain employment during and following homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]