Center & Other Research

Alcohol, Services, Treatment & Work in Homeless Adults

Description:
This health services research study used an existing NIMH-funded, epidemiological data set to examine whether homeless adults with alcohol problems are more likely to obtain work if they have societal contacts (i.e., social support from family and friends, social services, and treatment services). This timely study was informed by important changes in welfare reform policies that mandate work in conjunction with entitlement benefits. Several statistical techniques including logistic regression and path regression models were used to: (1) describe the nature and patterns of alcohol problems (and other comorbidities) among homeless adults, and test the relationship between alcohol problems and work in this group; (2) document patterns of societal contact (such as family, friends, treatment, health care and social service agencies) and test its association with work among homeless adults; and then devise a multidimensional measure representing societal contacts (i.e., contacts from family, friends, treatment, and social service agencies) among homeless adults; and (3) test the model that alcohol problems and societal contacts have an association with work.