Substance abuse is a wide-reaching issue affecting millions of people worldwide. It is an issue particularly troublesome for members of an oppressed class, in this case homeless women, as examined by the authors (Wenzel et al, 2009) in the article. Nearly 50% of homeless women reported drug use, and 32% of them reported binge drinking in Los Angeles, compared to 16% and 17% for drug use and binge drinking among women occupying a low-income house (p. 16). When examining the nature of the substance abuse among homeless women, the authors (2009) approach the matter using the ecological perspective. This method allows them to examine the substance abusers within their own social context. They specifically target the homeless women’s social networks, defined in the article as naturally occurring groups within which members may influence each other’s behavior through social comparison, social sanction and rewards, and information exchange (p. 17). The authors cite the important connection between social networks and substance abuse, and give an example where association with employed persons seems to be a protective factor against drug use, among African-Americans in Baltimore (p. 17). This concept can work both ways however, as a negative association—such as an abusive sexual partner—can be a risk factor, encouraging further drug and alcohol use (p. 17). It is with this ecological context-based approach that the authors conduct their study. The program consisted of 445 randomly selected homeless women (p. 17). The women were considered eligible if they were at least 18, had sex with a male partner in the last six months, spoke and understood English, and did not have significant cognitive impairments (p. 17). The women... ... middle of paper ... ...ers came from the women and not the alters themselves. This could be a problem because the responses could possibly be biased towards the expectations of the respondent (p. 22). Even with the study’s shortcomings, it illuminates an important need to not only focus on the individual when dealing with substance abuse, but to take a more holistic approach and deal with many different factors. The environment around the individual plays an important role in whether he—or in this case, she—will abuse substances. While the study specifically focuses on the effects of a woman’s social network, it notes the importance of positive ancillary support such as stable housing and enhanced employment opportunities (p. 21). These supportive factors increase the odds of forging stronger positive and healthier relationships, and thus reducing the probability of substance abuse.
Heroin addiction continues to be an important public health problem for the Edgewater homeless and America today. Addiction compounded with poor living conditions and reduced access to healthcare creates a syndemic that requires social and healthcare programs working together to confront the problem. Structural violence stigmatizes homelessness and heroin addiction, which negatively impacts addicts’ health. Attitudes towards these people must be changed so that all Americans are afforded the basic healthcare they deserve as human beings.
In the United States, homelessness has remained a constant presence in all major cities. For example, in New York City, it is comprised of alcoholics, drug addicts, and other people (“American History”). It has largely moved into hidden places such as unused subway tunnels or under bridges. Whether or not we experience it ourselves, homelessness impacts all of us. Homelessness describes all normal life crisis. There is a difference between people who experience these challenges and become homeless and people who face them and do not use the support systems that they have in place.
Mental health disorders and substance use disorders are apparent within the population of individuals who are homeless. Mental health disorders and substance use disorders have varying factors that can cause a person to develop each disorder separately. People can often suffer immensely from each one individually. Mental health and substance use disorders can cause significant distress in the lives of those diagnosed. The opposite can also be said that significant distress can cause mental health and substance use disorders. The difference depends on a number of factors such as genetics, environment, resiliency, gender, and age. However, recovery from homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorders is possible if the right resources are available.
“Homelessness is a symptom of systemic poverty” (www.kansascity.com). Since 2012, the homeless rate has risen more than 7% in Kansas City, MO alone. According to a 2012 count survey by the homeless coalition services, roughly 2,434 unduplicated individuals were homeless in Kansas City. Of those 70% were sheltered and 30% were on the streets. Since reported on any given night here in the metro more than 3,000 adults and 7,500 kids are homeless in our area. We are not sure why the rate has risen so much over the years. “Maybe because the declining economy is almost certain for the external event most commonly said to make people homeless” (Shumoky, Neil Larry). Many people who are homeless are, victims of domestic violence, after deciding to leave an abusive relationship, they often have nowhere to go for those who have few resource. Also, Lack of money needed for housing and having to wait on a list for assisted housing means they have to chose between staying with an abuser or living on the street with their kids. People with HIV/AIDS, those people often get depressed and suicidal. The cost for medications and treatments for people living with HIV/AIDS get too high for people to keep up with. They also are at risk of losing their jobs because of discrimination or absences health-related. A few more are people with a mental illness and substance abusers. Also, Veterans, who once served in this country. They were also effected by the economic crisis that hit a few years ago. Many also dealing with PTSD, are unwilling to get the help needed because of the shame surrounding mental illness. So many turn to alcohol/drugs as an escape from the terrible and haunting memories of the war. Some of their families give up on them. Not being ...
A. Thomas McLellan, et al, "Individual characteristics of the literally homeless, marginally housed, and impoverished in a US substance abuse treatment-seeking sample." Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology 43, no. 10 (October 2008): 839-840, EBSCO Academic Search Premier (accessed April 4, 2012).
McNamara, Robert Hartmann. "Homelessness." Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Social Issues. Ed. Michael Shally-Jensen. Vol. 3: Family and Society. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 1024-1031. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 May 2014. .
...ty for increasing the likelihood that women will become homeless. Female single parent families rose form 23.7 % of all families in poverty in 1960 to 52.6 % of all families in poverty in the mid 1990's. (Hagen, 1994). As a result of historical growth in women's poverty and female headed family homelessness, it has been increasingly important for research to focus on the unique sets of issues and problems that women's homelessness presents.
Studies have shown that, due to the sheer stress and anxiety of being homeless, 30% of the population increase their use of drugs and alcohol. Many homeless people are employed either fulltime or part-time. According to the US Conference of Mayors2008 report, approximately 2% of the homeless population is employed for a period longer than 30 days. Most homeless people are men. The number of homeless families, single women, and unaccompanied youth continue to be a large growing group. Men currently make up 43% of the homeless population. (US Con. Of Mayors 2005). Homelessness is an issue that has become prominent within the last century because of government handouts and assistance programs. The homeless are more likely to be the victims rather than the perpetrators of crime. They are less like to commit crimes against persons or property. Crimes associated with the homeless population are non-violent and non-destructive crimes. At least one homeless person is murdered each month due to hate crimes.. Many of the homeless don’t even report crimes committed against them. Creating more shelters and programs for e homeless will only enable them to stay in their situation. The goal of projects and programs all over the
Homelessness has become a serious problem in today’s society. Despite the organizations that help multitudes of homeless people, homelessness is continually increasing. In recent years, America’s culture has been changing due to economic, political, and social issues. These issues have caused a lot of stress on America resulting in abject poverty in several cities. Poverty is not nationwide, but if dealt with lightly, the affects can be catastrophic. Homelessness is increasing more than ever, and research proves that changing culture contributes to rising amount of homelessness.
Although most people know what homelessness is and it occurs in most societies, it is important to define because the forces of displacement vary greatly, along with the arrangement and meaning of the resulting transient state. The Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 defined a homeless person as “an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation, such as streets, cars, movie theaters, abandoned buildings, etc.” Resent surveys conducted in the U.S. have confirmed that the homeless population in America is extremely diverse and includes representatives from all segments of society, including: the old and young, men and women, single people and families, city dwellers and rural residents, whites and people of color, employed and unemployed, able workers and people with serious health problems. The diversity among people that are homeless reflects how difficult it is to generalize the causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless people. Robert Rosenheck M.D., the author of Special Populations of Homeless Americans, explains the importance of studying homelessness based on subgroups, “each subgroup [of homeless people] has unique service needs and identifying these needs is critical for program planning and design.” Despite these diversities, homelessness is a devastating situation for all that experience it. Not only have homeless people lost their dwelling, but they have also lost their safety, privacy, control, and domestic comfort.
Tunstall, L. (2009). Homelessness: an overview. EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. Retrieved February 5, 2011, from http://web.ebscohost.com/pov/detail?hid=119&sid=d5f751fa-0d0d-4ed1-8deb-483e701af50c%40sessionmgr111&vid=3&bdata=Jmxhbmc9ZW4tY2Emc2l0ZT1wb3YtY2Fu#db=p3h&AN=28674966
The social disorganization perspective follows the substance users to their living era and environment. Social disorganization perspective examines why individuals more from one environment to another and how they struggle to adjust to new environment, and how they are lured or forced into substance user, deviance, or criminal activity in the face of difficulty from the new environment or due to their individual maladjustments.
Fitzpatrick, Joanne. “ONI Opening Doors Project—Improving Health for Homeless People and Families.” Community Practitioner 85.2 (2012): 19+. Academic OneFile. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
We never really think about it but in the homeless population women and men face challenges everyday. Especially homeless women who have special needs that they have to tend too. Sometimes these women young and old, have to carry a variety of toiletries and extra clothing because sometimes there is not always access to a bathroom, especially during their period. As of 2015, 565,000 out of the homeless population 40% of women will suffer from a loss of necessities and everyone should have a small amount of supplies to last them from a week to a month. These women take many risks by using ripped pieces of cloth or toilet paper instead of sanitary napkins or tampons, risking infection because the cost is not in their budgets, and that’s if they
This concludes with the healing process for the homeless individual. A person would enroll into counseling or rehabilitation program to talk about their problems or to detox themselves from the drug or alcohol use. Along with the counseling and therapy programs, they might be involved in a peer support group. In this group they would meet with other individuals who were once homeless, abused, or addicts. Sharing these stories would help boost their self-esteem and to better understand their previous or current situation. Other will choose to seek guidance or even attend a religious group to help themselves and to start the healing process. While some won’t complete the programs and return to the streets, some would hope that the healing process could finally make them free from poverty.