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Substance abuse and homelessness: direct or indirect effects?

Jonathan B Vangeest1, Timothy P Johnson

  • 1Medicine and Public Health, American Medical Association, Survey Research Laboratory, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60610, USA.

Annals of Epidemiology
|October 16, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Substance abuse indirectly increases homelessness risk by weakening social ties, not by reducing human capital. This highlights disaffiliation as a key factor in homelessness, emphasizing societal breakdown.

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Area of Science:

  • Sociology
  • Public Health
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Homelessness is a complex social issue with multifactorial causes.
  • Understanding the pathways through which substance abuse contributes to homelessness is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if substance abuse directly causes homelessness or indirectly contributes through disaffiliation and human capital.
  • To analyze the specific mechanisms linking substance abuse to the risk of homelessness.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 481 individuals in Cook County, Illinois, including those experiencing homelessness and at risk.
  • Employed covariance structure models to examine substance abuse, human capital, and disaffiliation as homelessness precursors.
  • Focused on the direct and indirect effects of substance abuse on loss of domicile.

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Main Results:

  • Substance abuse was found to be indirectly linked to homelessness, primarily via its negative impact on social and institutional affiliations.
  • Contrary to hypotheses, substance abuse did not indirectly increase homelessness risk by hindering human capital development.

Conclusions:

  • Confirmed disaffiliation as a direct cause of homelessness, indicating a societal breakdown in social bonds.
  • Substance abuse significantly contributes to this breakdown by damaging social and institutional relationships.