"I Have a Story to Tell Them": Qualitative Analsysis of Interviews with Formerly Homeless Adults.

Background: Adults experiencing homelessness (AEH) make up an underserved community, especially in receipt of occupational therapy (OT) services. While there is growing knowledge on the occupational needs of this community, little is known of the occupational needs of AEH to successfully sustain housing long-term. The primary objective of this study is to describe the lived experiences of adults who have successfully transitioned to stable housing after a long period of homelessness. The secondary objective is to use findings to identify key areas for OT intervention with adults immediately following homelessness. Method: The participants included five adults 25 years of age and older who have lived experience of homelessness and have transitioned to housing 1 or more years before the start of the study. All of the participants were clients of a community-based organization that provides support services for AEH to maintain stable housing. A thematic analysis of audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews was conducted. Two researchers reviewed the interviews to ensure intra-rater reliability. Results: These five semi-structured interviews resulted in the following six overarching themes: relationships, environments, routines, health management, trauma, and gaps in services. Conclusions: Formerly homeless adults (FHA) are an underserved population who may benefit from OT services to successfully sustain housing long-term. Comments The authors declare that they have no competing financial, professional, or personal interest that might have influenced the performance or presentation of the work described in this manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]