Purpose: To conduct a multi-dimensional and time-patterned analysis to identify distinct well-being trajectory profiles over a 6-year follow-up period among adults experiencing homelessness and mental illness.
Methods: Data from 543 participants of the At Home Chez Soi study's Toronto site were examined over a 6-year follow-up period, including measures of quality of life, community functioning, housing stability, and substance use. Well-being trajectories were identified using Group-Based Trajectory Modelling. Multinomial regression was used to identify predictor variables that were associated with each well-being trajectory profile.
Results: Four well-being profiles were identified: low well-being, moderate well-being, good well-being, and high well-being. Factors associated with a greater likelihood of following a better well-being profile included receiving Housing First, reporting female gender and non-white ethnicity, having post-secondary studies, and reporting a high resilience level. Concurrently, factors associated with a lower likelihood of better well-being profiles were having a history of chronic homelessness, experiences of discrimination in the healthcare setting, having comorbid mental disorders and a high level of symptom severity, and reporting a history of traumatic brain injury and childhood adversity.
Conclusions: Individuals experiencing homelessness follow distinct well-being profiles associated with their socio-demographic characteristics, health status, trauma history, resilience capabilities, and access to housing and support services. This work can inform integrated housing and support services to enhance the well-being trajectories of individuals experiencing homelessness.
Trial registration: At Home/Chez Soi trial was registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN42520374, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN42520374 .
Keywords: Homeless person; Housing stability; Metal illness; Quality of life; Well-being status.
© 2021. The Author(s).