Intervention effects of supplying homeless individuals with permanent housing: a 3-year prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the intervention effects of supplying homeless individuals with permanent housing.


METHODS
In a prospective study, 109 male and 20 female homeless individuals were assessed at baseline and at 1- and 3-year follow-up concerning mental illness (SCID-I), psychopathology, global assessment of functioning, emotional lability and alcohol consumption.


RESULTS
A high proportion (86%) of the individuals was able to maintain or improve stability of housing. Only minor changes were observed concerning mental illness and global functioning. Extensive alcohol consumption and high psychopathology increased the risk of losing the stable housing.


CONCLUSIONS
The placement of homeless individuals in board and care homes or community housing after social counselling seems to be a necessary measure to remedy homelessness. However, supplying more permanent housing is not sufficient to decisively improve mental health status.
Fichter
M M
MM
Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. mfichter@schoen-kliniken.de
Quadflieg
N
N
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome