Suffering in a physically unwell homeless population
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Suffering related to health and housing difficulties: Are these factors associated, and do they predict quality of life, well-being, and distress?
IRAS ID
199528
Contact name
Jacob Clark
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Holloway University University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 30 days
Research summary
Homeless people experience significant physical health burdens. In the general population we know that subjective experience of illness plays a significant role in quality of life (QoL), distress and well-being;. However, our understanding of the psychological experience of illness in homeless population is under examined. Consequently, the relationship between these factors for homeless persons remains unclear, and there are critical implications.
Unsurprisingly, homeless persons report lower QoL and higher distress than the general population. As in the general population, objective physical health is not strongly correlated with QoL in homeless persons. Furthermore, housing satisfaction is not predictive of quality of life, life satisfaction, distress or physical health in this population. However, promising housing and health interventions have demonstrated improved QoL and reduced distress. Preliminary comparisons indicate health may be a stronger predictor of QoL than housing: high distress, low well-being and life satisfaction are better predicted by ill health or self-care, rather than housing satisfaction or being housed. However, as a recent review concludes, the relationship between health, housing and QoL in homeless persons is based on limited evidence; this holds true for distress and well-being.
This study will investigate the following research questions: is illness suffering associated with housing suffering in physically unwell homeless persons? Secondly, a regression analysis will explore to what extent suffering (housing and illness) predicts quality of life, well-being and distress. Forty homeless patients will complete four questionnaires to assess suffering, QoL, well-being, and distress, lasting approximately forty minutes.
REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1346
Date of REC Opinion
9 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion