IRB Number
OTD-1112-019
Date of Award
Winter 1-6-2020
Document Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Susan MacDermott, OTD, OTR/L, Doctoral Coordinator
Second Advisor
Becki Cohill, OTD, OTR/L, Doctoral Coordinator
Third Advisor
Erin Schwier, EdD, OTD, OTR/L, Program Director
Medical Subject Headings
Homeless Persons, Poverty, Mental Health, Occupational Therapy, Needs Assessment, Qualitative Research, Adult, Female
Abstract
This paper seeks to identify the occupational barriers and needs of homeless women and women at risk of homelessness. A qualitative research study was performed to learn more about the lived experience of two women at-risk of homelessness. Themes uncovered in this study are described in order to provide more understanding and advocacy for this population. A program proposal was delivered for future fieldwork students to provide occupational therapy students at this resource center.
Recommended Citation
Storkersen, K. (2020). The Role of Occupational Therapy for Homeless Women and Women At-Risk of Homelessness. [Doctoral project, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences]. SOAR @ USA: Student Capstone Papers Collection. https://doi.org/10.46409/sr.FVVV9088
Related Content
This capstone project was presented as a poster at the Summer 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences:
Storkersen, K., MacDermott, S., & Cohill, B. (2020, August 14). The role of occupational therapy for homeless women and women at-risk of homelessness [Poster]. Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonessummer2020/3
Included in
Clinical Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Occupational Therapy Commons, Social Justice Commons, Social Work Commons
Comments
Capstone project submitted to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Occupational Therapy.
References
Abbott, P., Magin, P., Davison, J., & Hu, W. (2017). Medical homelessness and candidacy: Women transiting between prison and community health care. International Journal for Equity in Health, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-017-0627-6
AHC MEDIA. (2020). COVID-19 Devastates At-Risk Populations: Telemedicine could be new normal. Case Management Advisor, 31(5), 1-3.
Ake, T., Diehr, S., Ruffalo, L., Farias, E., Fitzgerald, A., Good, S., & Meurer, L. (2018). Needs assessment for creating a patient-centered, community-engaged health program for homeless pregnant women. Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews, (1), 36. https://doi.org/10.17294/2330-0698.1591
Amoran, O., Ogunsemi, O., & Lasebikan, V. (2019). Assessment of mental disorders using the patient health questionnaire as a general screening tool in western Nigeria: A community-based study. Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, 6.https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-3147.91922
Aviles AM, & Helfrich CA. (2006). Homeless youth: Causes, consequences and the role of occupational therapy. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 20(3/4), 99-114. https://doi.org/10.1300/J003v20n03_07
Baird, A., Campanaro, C., Eisele, J., Hall, T., & Wright, J. (2014). "How can we stay sober?" Homeless women's experience in a substance abuse treatment center. Society, 51(4), 404-407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-014-9800-3
Baptiste, S., Law, M., McColl, M. A., Carswell, A., Pollock, N., & Polotajko, H. J. (2014). COPM: Canadian occupational performance measure. [assessment]. Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.
Bassuk, E. L., & Rosenberg, L. (1988). Why does family homelessness occur? A case-control study. American Journal of Public Health, 78(7), 783-788. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.78.7.783
Boisvert R.A., Martin L.M., Grosek M., & Clarie A.J. (2008). Effectiveness of a peer-support community in addiction recovery: Participation as intervention. Occupational Therapy International, 15(4), 205-220. https://doi.org/10.1002/oti.257
Bower, M., Conroy, E., & Perz, J. (2018). Australian homeless persons' experiences of social connectedness, isolation and loneliness. Health & Social Care in the Community, 26(2), e241-e248. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12505
Brown, S. (2020). How are counselors coping with Covid-19? Sally Brown explores the impact of Covid-19 on the therapy profession and how practitioners are adapting to best support their clients- and themselves- in these extraordinary times. Therapy Today, 31(4), 16-20. https://doi.org/10.12968/pnur.2020.31.4.145
Caton, C. L. M., Shrout, P. E., Dominguez, B., Eagle, P. F., Opler, L. A., & Cournos, F. (1995). Risk factors for homelessness among women with schizophrenia. American Journal of Public Health, 85(8), 1153-1156. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.85.8_Pt_1.1153
Chamberlain, C., & Johnson, G. (2018). From long-term homelessness to stable housing: Investigating “liminality.” Housing Studies, 33(8), 1246–1263. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2018.1424806
Chambers, C., Chiu, S., Scott, A., Tolomiczenko, G., Redelmeier, D., Levinson, W., & Hwang, S. (2014). Factors associated with poor mental health status among homeless women with and without dependent children. Community Mental Health Journal, 50(5), 553-559. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9605-7
Chinchilla, M., Gabrielian, S., Hellemann, G., Glasmeier, A., & Green, M., 2019. Determinants of community integration among formerly homeless veterans who received supportive housing. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00472
Christian, J., & Howson, A. (2019). Homelessness. Salem Press Encyclopedia.
D'Amico, M., Jaffe, L., & Gardner, J. (2018). Evidence for interventions to improve and maintain occupational performance and participation for people with serious mental illness: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(5), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.033332
Dey, M., & Loewenstein, M. A. (2020). How many workers are employed in sectors directly affected by COVID-19 shutdowns, where do they work, and how much do they earn? Monthly Labor Review, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.21916/mlr.2020.6
Durbin, A., Lunsky, Y., Nisenbaum, R., Hwang, S. W., O'Campo, P., & Stergiopoulos, V. (2018). Borderline intellectual functioning and lifetime duration of homelessness among homeless adults with mental illness. Healthcare Policy, 14(2), 40-46. https://doi.org/10.12927/hcpol.2018.25687
Durocher, E., Gibson, B. E., & Rappolt, S. (2014). Occupational justice: A conceptual review. Journal of Occupational Science, 21(4), 418-430. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2013.775692
Finley, L. (2018). Poverty. Salem Press Encyclopedia. Fleury-Bahi, G., Marcouyeux, A., Préau, M., & Annabi-Attia, T. (2013). Development and validation of an environmental quality of life scale: Study of a French sample. Social Indicators Research, 113(3), 903-913. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0119-4
Fordham, M. (2015). The lived experience of homeless women: Insights gained as a specialist practitioner. Community Practitioner, 88(4), 32-37. Gammon, K. (2019). Occupational therapists find their place in providing health care for the homeless. USC News. https://news.usc.edu/155986/homeless-health-care-occupationaltherapists/
Groton, D. B., Gromer, J. M., Mennicke, A. M., Lee, J., Gul, M., Dupree, E. M., & Munn, J. (2017). "Give us a chance": Understanding job seeking among women experiencing homelessness. Journal of Employment Counseling, 54(3), 115-131. https://doi.org/10.1002/joec.12060
Gutman, S. A., & Raphael-Greenfield, E. I. (2017). Effectiveness of a supportive housing program for homeless adults with mental illness and substance use: A two-group controlled trial. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 80(5), 286-293. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022616680368
Hansen, A. M. W. (2013). Bridging theory and practice: Occupational justice and service learning. Work, 45(1), 41-58. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-131597
Herzberg, G. & Finlayson, M. (2001). Development of occupational therapy in a homeless shelter. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 13(3-4), 131-144. https://doi.org/10.1080/J003v13n03_11
Heuchemer B, & Josephson S. (2006). Leaving homelessness and addiction: Narratives of an occupational transition. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 13(3), 160-169. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038120500360648
Hotchkiss A. & Fisher G.S. (2004). Community practice for the homeless: OT education at the Mercy Center for Women. OT Practice, 9(8), 17-21. Housing First: Supportive apartments seen as key to reducing homelessness. (2018). Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN).
Huey, L., Hryniewicz, D., & Fthenos, G. (2014). "I had a lot of anger and that's what kind of led me to cutting myself": Employing a social stress framework to explain why some homeless women self-injure. Health Sociology Review, 23(2), 148-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/14461242.2014.11081969
Hurlbut, J., & Ditmyer, M. (2016). Defining the meaning of spirituality through a qualitative case study of sheltered homeless women. Nursing for Women's Health, 20(1), 52-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2015.12.004
Kielhofner, G. (2008). Model of Human Occupation: Theory and application. 4th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
Klontz, B. & Britt, S. (2012). Tactical asset management or financial trauma? Why the abandonment of buy-and-hold may be a symptom of posttraumatic stress. Journal of Financial Therapy, (2). https://doi.org/10.4148/jft.v3i2.1718
Leddy, M., Stefanovics, E., & Rosenheck, R. (2014). Health and well-being of homeless veterans participating in transitional and supported employment: Six-month outcomes. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 51(1), 161-175. https://doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2013.01.0011
Levin M, & Helfrich C. (2004). Mothering role identity and competence among parenting and pregnant homeless adolescents. Journal of Occupational Science, 11(3), 95-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2004.9686537
Lutwak, N. (2019). The psychology of health and illness: The mental health and physiological effects of intimate partner violence on women. Journal of Psychology, 153(1), 51-66.
Maness, S. B., Reitzel, L. R., Hernandez, D. C., Maria, D. S., Batson, M. A., Zingg, T., & Businelle, M. S. (2019). Modifiable risk factors and readiness to change among homeless adults. American Journal of Health Behavior, 43(2), 373-379. https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.43.2.13
Marcus, R., De Groot, A., Bachman, S., Chisolm, N., Quadri, Y., Cabral, H., & Rajabiun, S. (2018). Longitudinal determinants of housing stability among people living with HIV/AIDS experiencing homelessness. American Journal of Public Health, 108, S552-S560. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304772
Marshall, C. A., Lysaght, R., & Krupa, T. (2017). The experience of occupational engagement of chronically homeless persons in a mid-sized urban context. Journal of Occupational Science, 24(2), 165-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2016.1277548
Martin, M., Sadlo, G., & Stew, G. (2012). Rethinking Occupational Deprivation and Boredom. Journal of Occupational Science, 19(1), 54-61. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2011.640210
Modeling study suggests 18 months of COVID-19 social distancing. (2020). MLO: Medical Laboratory Observer, 52(5), 7. National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2020). State of homelessness: 2020 edition. https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-ofhomelessness-2020/
Nemiroff, R., Aubry, T., & Klodawsky, F. (2011). From homelessness to community: Psychological integration of women who have experienced homelessness. Journal of Community Psychology, 39(8), 1003-1018. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20486
Neisler, J., Shree, S., Reitzel, L. R., Chen, T.-A., Kendzor, D. E., Obasi, E. M., & Businelle, M. S. (2019). Characterizing alcohol use behaviors among homeless men and women. American Journal of Health Behavior, 43(1), 37-49. https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.43.1.4
Ng, B., & Tsang H. (2000). Evaluation of a goal attainment program using the goal attainment scale for psychiatric in-patients in vocational rehabilitation. Work, 14(3), 209-216. Occupational Therapy Practice. Framework: Domain & Process. 2014. American Occupational Therapy Association.
Ngo, V. K., Sherbourne, C., Bowen Chung, Lingqi Tang, Wright, A. L., Whittington, Y., Miranda, J. (2016). Community engagement compared with technical assistance to disseminate depression care among low-income, minority women: A randomized controlled effectiveness study. American Journal of Public Health, 106(10), 1833-1841. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303304
Osuji, J., & Hirst, S. (2015). History of abuse and the experience of homelessness: A framework for assisting women overcome housing instability. Housing, Care & Support, 18(3/4), 89-100. https://doi.org/10.1108/HCS-03-2015-0004
Patrick, K. (2017). National snapshot: Poverty among women & families, 2016. National Women's Law Center. https://nwlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Poverty-Snapshot-Factsheet-2017.pdf
Paxson, D., Winston, K., Tobey, T., Johnston, S., & Iwama, M. (2012). The Kawa Model: Therapists' experiences in mental health practice. Occupational Therapy In Mental Health, 28(4), 340-355. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212X.2012.708586
Pinsonneault, A., & Kraemer, K. L. (1993). Survey research methodology in management information systems: An assessment. Journal of Management Information Systems, 10(2), 75-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.1993.11518001
Preskorn, S. H. (2020). COVID-19: Protecting the vulnerable and opening the economy. Psychiatric Times, 37(5), 22-25 Richardson P, Jobson B, & Miles S. (2010). Using the Kawa model: a practice report. Mental Health Occupational Therapy, 15(3), 82-85.
Roy, L., Vallée, C., Kirsh, B. H., Marshall, C. A., Marval, R., & Low, A. (2017). Occupation-based practices and homelessness: A scoping review. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 84(2), 98-110. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008417416688709
Schultz-Krohn, W., Mena, C., Winter, E., Roozeboom, A., Vu, L., Yee, E. (2020). The lived experience of homeless mothers' participation in an OT leisure craft group. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S1-PO9510
Schultz-Krohn, W., Carey, R., Dail, R., & Endish, P. (2018). Effectiveness of an occupational therapy work readiness program for homeless parents. AOTA Annual Conference & Expo, April 19 to April 22, 2018, Salt Lake City, Utah. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72, 1.
Smith, K. A. (2020). 5 reasons why you might not get A COVID-19 stimulus payment. Forbes.Com, N.PAG. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.72S1-PO2024
Tanzi, A. (2020). Digital jobs will insulate some U.S. areas from COVID-19 shock. Bloomberg.Com, N.PAG.
Thomas, Y., Gray, M., & McGinty, S. (2011). A Systematic Review of Occupational Therapy Interventions with Homeless People. Occupational Therapy in Health Care. 25(1), 77-53. https://doi.org/10.3109/07380577.2010.528554
Thomas, Y., Gray, M. A., & McGinty, S. (2017). The occupational wellbeing of people experiencing homelessness. Journal of Occupational Science, 24(2), 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2017.1301828
Totten, C. & Pratt, J. (2001). Innovation in fieldwork education: Working with members of the homeless population in Glasgow. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1177/030802260106401107
Townsend, E., & Wilcock, A. (2004). Occupational justice and client-centered practice: A dialogue in progress. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, (2), 75. https://doi.org/10.1177/000841740407100203
Tinland A, Boyer L, Loubière S, Greacen T, Girard V, Boucekine M, Auquier P. (2018). Victimization and posttraumatic stress disorder in homeless women with mental illness are associated with depression, suicide, and quality of life. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 2269. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S161377
Tyminski, Q. (2018). The development of a role-emerging fieldwork placement in a homeless shelter. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2018.020207
Upshur, C. C., Weinreb, L., Cheng, D. M., Kim, T. W., Samet, J. H., & Saitz, R. (2014). Does experiencing homelessness affect women's motivation to change alcohol or drug use? American Journal on Addictions, 23(1), 76-83. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.12066.x
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2016). 2016 annual homeless assessment report (AHAR) to Congress. (2016). Part 1: Point-in-time estimates of homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Office of Community Planning and Development. https:/files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2016-AHAR-Part1.pdf