Homelessness and mental illness: impacts of systemic discrimination

Systems of discrimination have a significant impact on mental health, particularly for members of society struggling with housing insecurity. This study focusses on the prevalence of social stigmas felt by a sample of adults who have experienced mental illness and recent homelessness; housing stability and well-being outcomes including recovery, quality of life, and community functioning are considered.

A Group-Based Trajectory Model is used with a sample of 274 participants in the Greater Toronto Area. Trajectory groups were organized according to labels, Low, Moderate, and High, examining discrimination, stigma, recovery, quality of life, and community functioning ability. It is found that “trajectory groups for discrimination and stigma are strongly and contemporaneously interrelated with the trajectory groups for housing stability, recovery, quality of life, and community functioning ability.”

This study shows the damaging effects of societal and systemic discrimination against those experiencing mental health and homelessness. It is suggested that actions to reduce stigma are necessary to improve housing stability, quality of life, recovery, and community functioning.

Citation:

Mejia-Lancheros, C., Lachaud, J., Woodhall-Melnik, J., O’Campo, P., Hwang, S. W., & Stergiopoulos, V. (2021). Longitudinal interrelationships of mental health discrimination and stigma with housing and well-being outcomes in adults with mental illness and recent experience of homelessness. Social Science & Medicine, 268. https://doi

org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113463