title: Patterns of Shelter Use Among Men New to Homelessness in Later Life: Duration of Stay and Psychosocial Factors Related to Departure.
abstract: People who become homeless for the first time in late life are a growing but understudied population. This study draws on administrative data from one shelter (N = 1,214 first-time homeless) to assess the extent to which age is related to shelter stay and, to examine psychosocial factors that may be associated with shelter departure. Our bivariate and survival analysis results suggest that older homeless men stay in the shelter 2 weeks longer than younger clients. Older men with pending legal issues and mobility concerns were more likely to leave the shelter than those without such concerns. Findings highlight the impact of age and other psychosocial variables on shelter stay, and provide direction from which to address homelessness among men who are new to homelessness in later life.
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR david.rothwell@oregonstate.edu.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Rothwell
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grenier
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mott
authors.affiliation: University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bourgeois-Guérin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004522:Educational Status; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D014186:Transportation; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: homeless; men; social services