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P118 ‘Once you owe something they can take anything’: Women’s narratives of hidden homelessness and impact on health
  1. Joanne McGrath
  1. Social work, Education and Community wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Abstract

Background Women’s homelessness is particularly associated with hidden situations (i.e. sofa surfing, sleeping in cars, or living in unsuitable situations such as squats). The incidence of homelessness is rising across most developed countries. Rough sleeping is well established as having a highly negative impact on health and is associated with multi-morbidity. Recent research has established a link between sofa surfing and long-term poor health (England, 2022). The health impact of sofa surfing in adult populations has rarely been explored in the literature (see Crisis 2019) therefore, the resulting negative influence on women’s health may have been underestimated. Moreover if has not yet been fully explored what factors might extend hidden homelessness and the associated impact on health and morbidity.

Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted utilizing a timeline approach with 20 adult women in the northeast of England. Participants were recruited at a drop-in centre, and also via snowball sampling. Inclusion criteria were having experienced more than 3 episodes of homelessness, problematic substance use, and self-reported poor mental health. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach which produced a number of key themes.

Results Themes within the data revealed that sofa surfing often occurred over lengthy time periods, and was associated with social networks, sexual exploitation, increased substance misuse, and domestic violence. Associated health issues were primarily mental health and substance misuse related, though physical health issues associated with traumatic injuries and sleeping in unsuitable accommodation, such as chronic pain and breathing problems were also prevalent.

Discussion Women’s narratives of homelessness illuminate some of the underlying mechanisms and health outcomes of hidden homelessness. Sofa surfing was associated with networks of obligation, which were sometimes helpful but more often not and associated with sexual exploitation and increased levels of harmful substance use as well as domestic violence. Sofa surfing can therefore be a gateway to chronic homelessness associated with extreme health inequalities. Limitations of the study include the generalisability of findings from a small heterogenous sample, however, findings align with previous research and add to our knowledge of an understudied area. The long-term health impact found in this study alongside unexpectedly lengthy reported episodes of sofa surfing suggest that hidden homelessness should be prioritized in policy and practice and further research on this topic is warranted.

  • homelessness
  • substance misuse
  • mental health

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