Published: 24 March 2022 – Canadian Journal of Public Health
[Excerpts] Homelessness is increasingly recognized as a crisis beyond Canada’s largest cities where it is most visible, yet little is known about the experience and outcomes associated with rural homelessness.
As a key social determinant of health, housing is inexorably linked to other health determinants such as income, food security, and early child development. Individuals who are housing insecure often experience multiple intersecting social inequities that can compound the effect of housing disparities on their health and well-being. Spending more than 30% of one’s income on rent, rent in arrears, and housing in need of repairs are associated with food insecurity and worse self-reported health.
Poor housing quality and residential instability can impact cognitive, behavioural, and emotional development of children, predict poorer mental health, and increase risk of hospitalization.
This growing body of evidence begins to elucidate the pathways between housing and health which is critical for identifying interventions to promote health equity.
Yet, most research to date has been conducted in urban centres with little attention to whether the features and outcomes of homelessness differ in a rural context.
Rural homelessness has only recently been acknowledged, and no accurate data exist regarding its prevalence in Canada. A small body of literature indicates that hidden homelessness is particularly common within rural areas, where couch surfing, sharing overcrowded accommodations, or living in substandard housing are all strategies to manage homelessness in the absence of formal services and infrastructure.
Strategies to manage homelessness in the absence of formal services and infrastructure. This research suggests the experience and strategies associated with rural homelessness may be unique.
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