title: Mobile phone technology: a new paradigm for the prevention, treatment, and research of the non-sheltered "street" homeless?
abstract: Individuals experiencing homelessness have disproportionately high rates of health problems. Those who perceive themselves as having greater access to their social support networks have better physical and mental health outcomes as well as lower rates of victimization. Mobile phones offer a connection to others without the physical constraints of landlines and, therefore, may make communication (e.g., access to one's social support networks) more feasible for homeless individuals. This, in turn, could lead toward better health outcomes. This exploratory study examined mobile phone possession and use among a sample of 100 homeless men and women who do not use the shelter system in Philadelphia, PA. Interviews were comprised of the Homeless Supplement to the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, a technology module created for this investigation, and the substance use and psychiatric sections of the Addiction Severity Index. Almost half (44%) of the sample had a mobile phone. In the past 30 days, 100% of those with mobile phones placed or received a call, over half (61%) sent or received a text message, and one fifth (20%) accessed the Internet via their mobile phone. Participants possessed and used mobile phones to increase their sense of safety, responsibility (employment, stable housing, personal business, and sobriety or "clean time"), and social connectedness. Mobile phones could potentially be used by public health/health care providers to disseminate information to the street homeless, to enhance communication between the street homeless and providers, and to increase access for the street homeless to prevention, intervention, and aftercare services. Finally, this technology could also be used by researchers to collect data with this transient population.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, College of Health Professions and Social Work, Temple University, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. kgarg@temple.edu
authors.forename: Karin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Eyrich-Garg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015143:Philadelphia; D011340:Problem Solving; D012106:Research; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
references.citation: Psychiatr Serv. 2009 Apr;60(4):465-72
references.pmid: 19339321
references.citation: J Elder Abuse Negl. 2005;17(1):37-60
references.pmid: 16611616
references.citation: J Urban Health. 2009 Jul;86(4):654-64
references.pmid: 19444615
references.citation: Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2004;13(3):184-91
references.pmid: 15297902
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 1986 May;76(5):519-24
references.pmid: 3963280
references.citation: J Subst Abuse Treat. 2006 Mar;30(2):105-11
references.pmid: 16490673
references.citation: Public Health Rep. 1998 Jun;113 Suppl 1:31-41
references.pmid: 9722808
references.citation: J Urban Health. 2008 May;85(3):402-10
references.pmid: 18347991
references.citation: Chest. 2004 May;125(5):1719-25
references.pmid: 15136382
references.citation: J Urban Health. 2009 Sep;86(5):791-803
references.pmid: 19629703
references.citation: J Urban Health. 2007 Jul;84(4):615-31
references.pmid: 17562184
references.citation: Fam Pract. 2009 Aug;26(4):325-30
references.pmid: 19542193
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2009 Nov;124(5):e844-50
references.pmid: 19822583
references.citation: Health Soc Care Community. 2007 May;15(3):246-53
references.pmid: 17444988
references.citation: JAMA. 2000 Apr 26;283(16):2152-7
references.pmid: 10791509
references.citation: J Subst Abuse Treat. 1994 Jul-Aug;11(4):359-65
references.pmid: 7966506
references.citation: Addiction. 2008 Mar;103(3):478-84; discussion 485-6
references.pmid: 18269367
references.citation: Alcohol Alcohol. 2009 Jul-Aug;44(4):423-8
references.pmid: 19482879
references.citation: J Subst Abuse Treat. 1994 Nov-Dec;11(6):541-8
references.pmid: 7884837
references.citation: Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2007 Dec;4(4):201-7
references.pmid: 18366952
references.citation: J Burn Care Res. 2008 May-Jun;29(3):461-7
references.pmid: 18388565
references.citation: J Interpers Violence. 2006 Jun;21(6):820-39
references.pmid: 16672743
references.citation: J Subst Abuse Treat. 1992;9(3):199-213
references.pmid: 1334156
references.citation: Circulation. 2005 May 24;111(20):2629-35
references.pmid: 15897342
references.citation: Psychol Addict Behav. 2008 Sep;22(3):410-6
references.pmid: 18778134
references.citation: J Am Coll Health. 2004 Sep-Oct;53(2):71-8
references.pmid: 15495883