Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysis
IntroductionWhile much of the literature on homelessness is centred on the experience of men, women make up over one-quarter of Canada’s homeless population. Research has shown that women experiencing homelessness are often hidden (i.e. provisionally housed) and have different pathways into homeless...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Health Agency of Canada
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada |
| Online Access: | https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-41-no-1-2021/interventions-best-practices-women-homelessness-scoping-review-gender-equity.html |
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| author | Andermann, Anne Mott, Sebastian Mathew, Christine M. Kendall, Claire Mendonca, Oreen Harriott, Dawnmarie McLellan, Andrew Riddle, Alison Saad, Ammar Iqbal, Warda Magwood, Olivia Pottie, Kevin |
| author_facet | Andermann, Anne Mott, Sebastian Mathew, Christine M. Kendall, Claire Mendonca, Oreen Harriott, Dawnmarie McLellan, Andrew Riddle, Alison Saad, Ammar Iqbal, Warda Magwood, Olivia Pottie, Kevin |
| author_sort | Andermann, Anne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionWhile much of the literature on homelessness is centred on the experience of men, women make up over one-quarter of Canada’s homeless population. Research has shown that women experiencing homelessness are often hidden (i.e. provisionally housed) and have different pathways into homelessness and different needs as compared to men. The objective of this research is to identify evidence-based interventions and best practices to better support women experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
MethodsWe conducted a scoping review with a gender and equity analysis. This involved searching MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and other databases for systematic reviews and randomized trials, supplementing our search through reference scanning and grey literature, followed by a qualitative synthesis of the evidence that examined gender and equity considerations.
ResultsOf the 4102 articles identified on homelessness interventions, only 4 systematic reviews and 9 randomized trials were exclusively conducted on women or published disaggregated data enabling a gender analysis. Interventions with the strongest evidence included post-shelter advocacy counselling for women experiencing homelessness due to intimate partner violence, as well as case management and permanent housing subsidies (e.g. tenant-based rental assistance vouchers), which were shown to reduce homelessness, food insecurity, exposure to violence and psychosocial distress, as well as promote school stability and child well-being.
ConclusionMuch of the evidence on interventions to better support women experiencing homelessness focusses on those accessing domestic violence or family shelters. Since many more women are experiencing or at risk of hidden homelessness, population-based strategies are also needed to reduce gender inequity and exposure to violence, which are among the main structural drivers of homelessness among women. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:19:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-58c306dac15f4be49c5769a6787eebd8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2368-738X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:19:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Health Agency of Canada |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada |
| spelling | doaj.art-58c306dac15f4be49c5769a6787eebd82022-12-21T19:39:26ZengPublic Health Agency of CanadaHealth Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada2368-738X2021-01-011111310.24095/hpcdp.41.1.01Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysisAndermann, AnneMott, SebastianMathew, Christine M.Kendall, ClaireMendonca, OreenHarriott, DawnmarieMcLellan, AndrewRiddle, AlisonSaad, AmmarIqbal, WardaMagwood, OliviaPottie, KevinIntroductionWhile much of the literature on homelessness is centred on the experience of men, women make up over one-quarter of Canada’s homeless population. Research has shown that women experiencing homelessness are often hidden (i.e. provisionally housed) and have different pathways into homelessness and different needs as compared to men. The objective of this research is to identify evidence-based interventions and best practices to better support women experiencing or at risk of homelessness. MethodsWe conducted a scoping review with a gender and equity analysis. This involved searching MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and other databases for systematic reviews and randomized trials, supplementing our search through reference scanning and grey literature, followed by a qualitative synthesis of the evidence that examined gender and equity considerations. ResultsOf the 4102 articles identified on homelessness interventions, only 4 systematic reviews and 9 randomized trials were exclusively conducted on women or published disaggregated data enabling a gender analysis. Interventions with the strongest evidence included post-shelter advocacy counselling for women experiencing homelessness due to intimate partner violence, as well as case management and permanent housing subsidies (e.g. tenant-based rental assistance vouchers), which were shown to reduce homelessness, food insecurity, exposure to violence and psychosocial distress, as well as promote school stability and child well-being. ConclusionMuch of the evidence on interventions to better support women experiencing homelessness focusses on those accessing domestic violence or family shelters. Since many more women are experiencing or at risk of hidden homelessness, population-based strategies are also needed to reduce gender inequity and exposure to violence, which are among the main structural drivers of homelessness among women.https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-41-no-1-2021/interventions-best-practices-women-homelessness-scoping-review-gender-equity.html |
| spellingShingle | Andermann, Anne Mott, Sebastian Mathew, Christine M. Kendall, Claire Mendonca, Oreen Harriott, Dawnmarie McLellan, Andrew Riddle, Alison Saad, Ammar Iqbal, Warda Magwood, Olivia Pottie, Kevin Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysis Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada |
| title | Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysis |
| title_full | Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysis |
| title_fullStr | Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysis |
| title_short | Evidence-informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness: a scoping review with gender and equity analysis |
| title_sort | evidence informed interventions and best practices for supporting women experiencing or at risk of homelessness a scoping review with gender and equity analysis |
| url | https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-41-no-1-2021/interventions-best-practices-women-homelessness-scoping-review-gender-equity.html |
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