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The effect of incarceration on housing stability among homeless and vulnerably housed individuals in three Canadian cities: A prospective cohort study

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is to characterize the associations between a history of incarceration and subsequent housing stability over a two-year follow-up period among a sample of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals.

METHODS: The study was a prospective cohort study of homeless and vulnerably housed adults in three Canadian cities. Between 2009 and 2012, data were collected using structured, in-person interviews at baseline and two follow-up interviews. Generalized estimating equations were employed to determine the association between reported incarceration within the past 12 months and being housed during the subsequent year over a two-year follow-up period.

RESULTS: Baseline data were available for 1,189 homeless and vulnerably housed adults. Recent incarceration was reported by 337 (29%) individuals at baseline. In adjusted analyses, incarceration in the past 12 months was independently associated with a decreased likelihood of being housed during the subsequent year over the two-year follow-up period (adjusted odds ratio = 0.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.50–0.90).

CONCLUSION: Homeless and vulnerably housed individuals reporting recent incarceration were less likely to be housed over a two-year follow-up period. These findings highlight the importance of assisting individuals experiencing incarceration with securing stable housing during discharge and post-release planning.

Résumé

OBJECTIFS: Caractériser les associations entre les antécédents d’incarcération et la stabilité ultérieure du logement sur une période de suivi de deux ans au sein d’un échantillon de sans-abri et de personnes vulnérables sur le plan du logement.

MÉTHODE: Il s’agissait d’une étude prospective de cohortes d’adultes sans abri ou vulnérables sur le plan du logement dans trois villes canadiennes. Entre 2009 et 2011, nous avons recueilli des données de départ à l’aide d’entretiens directs structurés, puis mené deux entretiens de suivi. Nous avons employé des équations d’estimation généralisées pour déterminer l’association entre la déclaration d’une incarcération au cours des 12 mois antérieurs et le logement durant l’année ultérieure sur une période de suivi de deux ans.

RÉSULTATS: Des données de référence étaient disponibles pour 1 1 89 adultes sans abri ou vulnérables sur le plan du logement. Une incarcération récente a été déclarée par 337 personnes au départ (29 %). Dans nos analyses ajustées, l’incarcération au cours des 12 mois antérieurs était indépendamment associée à une moindre probabilité d’être logé durant l’année ultérieure au cours de la période de suivi de deux ans (rapport de cotes ajusté = 0,67, intervalle de confiance de 95 %: 0,50–0,90).

CONCLUSION: Les personnes sans abri ou vulnérables sur le plan du logement ayant fait état d’une incarcération récente étaient moins susceptibles d’être logées au cours d’une période de suivi de deux ans. Ces constatations soulignent l’importance d’aider les personnes ayant vécu une expérience d’incarcération à obtenir un logement stable durant la planification de leur libération et de la période postlibératoire.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Matthew J. To BMSc, Flora I. Matheson PhD, Stephen W. Hwang MD, MPH & Dan Werb PhD

  2. Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Anita Palepu MD, MPH

  3. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Flora I. Matheson PhD

  4. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    John Ecker PhD

  5. Royal Ottawa Health Care Croup, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Susan Farrell PhD

  6. Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Stephen W. Hwang MD, MPH

  7. Division of Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, University of California School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0507, San Diego, USA

    Dan Werb PhD

Authors
  1. Matthew J. To BMSc
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  2. Anita Palepu MD, MPH
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  3. Flora I. Matheson PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dan Werb PhD.

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Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

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To, M.J., Palepu, A., Matheson, F.I. et al. The effect of incarceration on housing stability among homeless and vulnerably housed individuals in three Canadian cities: A prospective cohort study. Can J Public Health 107, e550–e555 (2016). https://doi.org/10.17269/CJPH.107.5607

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.17269/CJPH.107.5607

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