Ethnic differences in the correlates of mental distress among homeless women.
BACKGROUND
Homeless women experience high rates of mental distress. We sought to determine whether ethnic differences exist in the relationship between the predisposing and enabling domains of the Gelberg-Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations and mental distress.


METHODS
We selected 821 homeless women in the Los Angeles area using a representative probability sampling design and invited them to participate in face-to-face interviews. The sample was 67% African American, 17% Hispanic, and 16% White.


RESULTS
We identified a number of ethnic differences in the correlates of mental distress. Being partnered or married was associated with greater distress among African American and White women, and experiencing competing needs was predictive of distress for African Americans and Hispanics.


CONCLUSIONS
A variety of factors contribute to mental distress among different ethnic groups of homeless women; these differences should be considered in the development of culturally appropriate services designed to address mental health problems among homeless populations.
Austin
Erika Laine
EL
Department of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. elaustin@uab.edu
Andersen
Ronald
R
Gelberg
Lillian
L
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology*