BACKGROUND: Homeless women experience high rates of mental distress. We sought to determine whether ethnic differences exist in the relationship between the predisposing and enabling domains of the Gelberg-Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations and mental distress. METHODS: We selected 821 homeless women in the Los Angeles area using a representative probability sampling design and invited them to participate in face-to-face interviews. The sample was 67% African American, 17% Hispanic, and 16% White. RESULTS: We identified a number of ethnic differences in the correlates of mental distress. Being partnered or married was associated with greater distress among African American and White women, and experiencing competing needs was predictive of distress for African Americans and Hispanics. CONCLUSION: A variety of factors contribute to mental distress among different ethnic groups of homeless women; these differences should be considered in the development of culturally appropriate services designed to address mental health problems among homeless populations.
BACKGROUND: Homeless women experience high rates of mental distress. We sought to determine whether ethnic differences exist in the relationship between the predisposing and enabling domains of the Gelberg-Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations and mental distress. METHODS: We selected 821 homeless women in the Los Angeles area using a representative probability sampling design and invited them to participate in face-to-face interviews. The sample was 67% African American, 17% Hispanic, and 16% White. RESULTS: We identified a number of ethnic differences in the correlates of mental distress. Being partnered or married was associated with greater distress among African American and White women, and experiencing competing needs was predictive of distress for African Americans and Hispanics. CONCLUSION: A variety of factors contribute to mental distress among different ethnic groups of homeless women; these differences should be considered in the development of culturally appropriate services designed to address mental health problems among homeless populations.
Authors: Cheryl Teruya; Douglas Longshore; Ronald M Andersen; Lisa Arangua; Adeline Nyamathi; Barbara Leake; Lillian Gelberg Journal: Women Health Date: 2010-12
Authors: M Vijayaraghavan; M B Kushel; E Vittinghoff; S Kertesz; D Jacobs; C E Lewis; S Sidney; K Bibbins-Domingo Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2013-06 Impact factor: 3.671
Authors: Howard Waitzkin; Christina Getrich; Shirley Heying; Laura Rodríguez; Anita Parmar; Cathleen Willging; Joel Yager; Richard Santos Journal: J Community Health Date: 2011-04