Table 2.
Comparison of shelter-based healthcare service utilization, health risk factors, and stressors as a function of sheltering type.
| Unadjusted1 | Adjusted2 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (N=575) | States of homelessness, N (%) | Sheltered homeless | Unsheltered homeless | Unstably housed | |||||
| Sheltered homeless (n=401) | Unsheltered homeless (n=119) | Unstably housed (n=55) | Ref. | B (SE) | P-value | B (SE) | P-value | ||
| Shelter-based health service | |||||||||
| Mental health/Behavioral health counseling | 146 (25.4) | 123 (30.7)a | 18 (15.3)b | 5 (9.1)b | - | −0.77 (0.29) | 0.007 | −1.46 (0.49) | 0.003 |
| Substance abuse counseling | 118 (20.6) | 109 (27.2)a | 6 (5.1)b | 3 (5.5)b | - | −1.82 (0.44) | <.001 | −1.74 (0.61) | 0.004 |
| Receiving meals | 535 (93.2) | 379 (94.5) | 108 (91.5) | 48 (87.3) | −0.65 (0.42) | 0.12 | −0.84 (0.47) | 0.08 | |
| Meeting a case manager | 381 (66.4) | 315 (78.6) a | 46 (39.0) b | 20 (36.4) b | −1.67 (0.23) | <.001 | −1.88 (0.31) | <.001 | |
| Health risk factors | |||||||||
| Total minutes of MVPA (M/SD) | 392.14 (755.79) | 337.45 (627.41)a | 595.64 (1027.95)b | 360.72 (863.40)a,b | - | 261.57 (80.92) | 0.001 | 36.25 (108.63) | 0.74 |
| Not enough sleep | 267 (46.5) | 161 (40.1)a | 71 (60.2)b | 35 (63.6)b | - | 0.88 (0.22) | <.001 | 1.01 (0.30) | 0.001 |
| Binge drinking last month | 182 (31.8) | 83 (20.8)a | 77 (65.8)b | 22 (40)c | - | 1.86 (0.24) | 0.002 | 0.87 (0.31) | 0.006 |
| Drug use yesterday | 73 (12.7) | 19 (4.7)a | 35 (29.4)b | 19 (34.5)b | 2.16 (0.32) | <.001 | 2.39 (0.38) | <.001 | |
| Overweight or obese | 366 (63.7) | 275 (68.6)a | 60 (50.4)b | 31 (56.4)a,b | −0.82 (0.22) | <.001 | −0.50 (0.30) | 0.09 | |
| Stressors | |||||||||
| Daily Stress3 (M/SD) | 48.92 (14.96) | 47.93 (14.89)a | 51.63 (15.62)b | 50.31 (13.46)a,b | - | 4.18 (1.59) | 0.009 | 2.96 (2.14) | 0.17 |
| Food insecurity4 (M/SD) | 3.82 (2.29) | 3.54 (2.36)a | 4.59 (1.99)b | 4.16 (2.03)a,b | - | 1.14 (0.24) | <.001 | 0.75 (0.33) | 0.02 |
Note. N=Sample size, M= Mean, SD= Standard Deviation, Data displayed in the unadjusted column are based on 570 to 575 subjects, depending on the variable, due to missing data, B= Beta, SE=Standard Error,
Chi-square tests for categorical variables (sex, race, and incarcerated in jail in the past year) or one way ANOVA for continuous variables (age, years of education, and months in jail lifetime) with Fisher’s Least Significant Difference post-hoc test, Means with differing subscripts are significantly different at the p < .05 level.
All models adjusted for age, years of education, sex, and race.
The level of life stress was assessed through the Urban Life Stress Scale, which is a 21-item self-report checklist of potential sources of chronic stress.
The USDA Food Security Survey was used to measure participants’ food insecurity during the last 12 months.