Pathways, Health, and Experiences of Homelessness among Foreign-Born Families

Abstract

This thesis describes three studies that examined the experiences of foreign-born families staying in the emergency shelter system in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. In the first study, timeline mapping and qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 Canadian-born and 23 foreign-born homeless families to understand the needs of these families and their pathways into homelessness. In the second study, data were drawn from quantitative interviews with 75 heads of families who were experiencing homelessness in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. This cross-sectional study examined differences in mental and physical health, chronic medical conditions, access to care, unmet healthcare needs, and diagnoses of mental disorders between foreign-born and Canadian-born families. In the third study, in-depth interviews were used to explore the shelter experiences of 16 foreign-born adolescents and young adults (aged 16-21) who were residing in emergency shelters with their families. Overall, findings from the three studies indicated that foreign-born families faced unique challenges before and during their homelessness. Moreover, some of these challenges were associated with adjusting to life in Canada. Challenges, such as staying housed and financially stable were common and led families to require shelter services. However, foreign-born families also reported positive experiences that may buffer some of the negative impacts associated with immigrating to a new country, housing instability, and homelessness. In the first study, more heterogeneity was found in the homeless pathways reported by foreign-born families than by Canadian-born families. The experiences they had prior to homelessness were also different across themes of poverty, health and substance use, interpersonal challenges, victimization, traumatic experiences, and stressful life events. In the second study, foreign-born heads of families reported better mental health and fewer chronic medical conditions than did Canadian-born heads of families with a significantly lower proportion of foreign-born participants reporting having been diagnosed with a mental disorder. In the third study, youth described homeless shelters as stressful environments but also found that the shelters provided support to them and their families. Youth also discussed the various strategies they used to cope with the challenges of shelter life. Findings from the studies suggest that foreign-born families experiencing homelessness are a heterogeneous group with diverse needs and experiences who may require services that differ in type, duration, and intensity than those that may be required by Canadian-born families.