title: Factors associated with poor mental health status among homeless women with and without dependent children.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of mental health problems among a representative sample of homeless women with and without dependent children and determine if the effects of risk factors for mental health are modified by the presence of dependent children. Homeless women (n = 522) were recruited in 2004-2005 from shelters and meal programs in Toronto, Canada. Linear and logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with mental health status. Poor mental health was associated with low perceived access to social support, physical/sexual assault in the past 12 months, presence of a chronic health condition, and presence of a drug use problem in the past month. Efforts to improve mental health in this population will need to address the associated problems of victimization, substance abuse, and lack of social supports.
authors: Centre for Research on Inner City Health, Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada, chambersc@smh.ca.
authors: Catharine
authors: C
authors: Chambers
authors: Shirley
authors: S
authors: Chiu
authors: Allison N
authors: AN
authors: Scott
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Tolomiczenko
authors: Donald A
authors: DA
authors: Redelmeier
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Levinson
authors: Stephen W
authors: SW
authors: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009864:Ontario; D015995:Prevalence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult