Repercussion of a Psychosocial Care Program for People Experiencing Homelessness With Mobile Phones

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Services
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• People experiencing homelessness (PEH) exhibit higher rates of mental health issues and lower quality of life (QoL) compared to the general population.
• Traditional mental health services face accessibility barriers for PEH due to their living conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a mobile phone-based psychosocial healthcare program on PEH.
• To assess changes in QoL, mental health, and alcohol consumption among participants.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study involving 30 participants receiving psychosocial interventions at municipal shelters.
• Interventions were evaluated at 3 and 6 months, with data collected pre- and post-intervention.
• Participants were categorized into complete (n=23) and partial (n=7) intervention groups.

Main Results:

• Complete intervention at 3 months showed significant improvements in self-perceived QoL.
• Improvements were also noted in anxiety/depression symptoms and responsible alcohol consumption.
• Adherent participants had better initial psychosocial assessments than those who dropped out.

Conclusions:

• Mobile phone-based psychosocial programs can effectively improve QoL and mental health outcomes for PEH.
• Healthcare professionals should utilize mobile follow-ups and outreach to overcome access barriers for this population.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to confirm these findings.