IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i13p4754-d379298.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Correlates of Depressive Symptoms among Middle-Aged and Older Homeless Adults Using the 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire

Author

Listed:
  • Lin-Yun Wang

    (Department of Family Studies and Child Development, Shih Chien University, Taipei 104, Taiwan)

  • Lan-Ping Lin

    (Department of Senior Citizen Care and Welfare, Ching Kuo Institute of Management and Health, Keelung 203, Taiwan)

  • Yun-Cheng Chen

    (School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 144, Taiwan)

  • Tai-Wen Wang

    (School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 144, Taiwan)

  • Jin-Ding Lin

    (Institute of Long-Term Care, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan)

Abstract

This study investigates the screening for depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older homeless adults based on Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and examines the possible factors associated with their major depressive symptoms. A cross-sectional survey was employed, and research subjects included 129 homeless people aged 45 years old and over in Taipei Wanhua District and Taipei Main Station. We used a structured questionnaire and face-to-face interview conducted by three social workers to collect data in the analyses. The content of the questionnaire included an informed consent form, demographic characteristics, enabling and need factors of healthcare, and PHQ-9 of homeless people. Results revealed that 15.5% respondents were free of depressive symptoms, 16.3% had mild level (score 5–9), 31.8% had moderate level (score 10–14), 26.4% had moderately severe level (score 15–19), and 10.1% had severe level of depressive symptoms (score 20–27). Adopting a PHQ-9 score 10 as a cut-off point for major depressive symptoms, 68.3% of middle-aged and older homeless adults were the cases needing to be referred to healthcare settings for further recheck in the near future. A multiple regression analysis found gender, age, and usage of psychiatric outpatient care were associated with major depressive symptom occurrence. The female participants were less likely to have major depressive symptoms than the male participants (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.09–0.96). The elderly participants were more likely to have major depressive symptoms than the aged 45–54 years (OR = 5.29, 95% CI = 1.44–19.41). Those participants who have ever used psychiatric outpatient care were significantly more correlated with the occurrence of major depressive symptoms than their counterparts (OR = 3.65, 95% CI = 1.46–9.09). The present study suggests that in the future health policy should eliminate the risk factors of depressive symptoms and improve mental healthcare access, to improve the health and wellbeing of the homeless population.

Suggested Citation

  • Lin-Yun Wang & Lan-Ping Lin & Yun-Cheng Chen & Tai-Wen Wang & Jin-Ding Lin, 2020. "Correlates of Depressive Symptoms among Middle-Aged and Older Homeless Adults Using the 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:13:p:4754-:d:379298
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/13/4754/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/13/4754/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stéphanie Vandentorren & Pierre Chauvin, 2018. "Health and Health Care for Homeless People in Various Contexts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-2, May.
    2. Zlotnick, C. & Zerger, S. & Wolfe, P.B., 2013. "Health care for the homeless: What we have learned in the past 30 years and what's next," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(S2), pages 199-205.
    3. Amanda Stafford & Lisa Wood, 2017. "Tackling Health Disparities for People Who Are Homeless? Start with Social Determinants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Caton, C.L.M. & Dominguez, B. & Schanzer, B. & Hasin, D.S. & Shrout, P.E. & Felix, A. & McQuistion, H. & Opler, L.A. & Hsu, E., 2005. "Risk factors for long-term homelessness: Findings from a longitudinal study of first-time homeless single adults," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(10), pages 1753-1759.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ellen C Rowlands Snyder & Lisa M Boucher & Ahmed M Bayoumi & Alana Martin & Zack Marshall & Rob Boyd & Sean LeBlanc & Mark Tyndall & Claire E Kendall, 2021. "A cross-sectional study of factors associated with unstable housing among marginalized people who use drugs in Ottawa, Canada," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(7), pages 1-11, July.
    2. Anita Hubley & Lara Russell & Anita Palepu & Stephen Hwang, 2014. "Subjective Quality of Life Among Individuals who are Homeless: A Review of Current Knowledge," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 509-524, January.
    3. Kimberly A. Rollings, 2022. "Engaging U.S. Adults with Serious Mental Illness in Participatory Design Research Exercises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Paul Batchelor & James Kingsland, 2020. "Improving the Health of the Homeless and How to Achieve It within the New NHS Architecture," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-7, June.
    5. Jacqueline Kauff & Jonathan Brown & Norma Altshuler & Noelle Denny-Brown & Emily Sama Martin, "undated". "Findings from a Study of the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Initiative," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 52d74a2c7c5947e58ddad7022, Mathematica Policy Research.
    6. Jonathan Stiles & Michael J. Smart, 2021. "Working at home and elsewhere: daily work location, telework, and travel among United States knowledge workers," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 2461-2491, October.
    7. Alícia Parés-Bayerri & Fran Calvo & Sílvia Font-Mayolas & Sonia Panadero & José Juan Vázquez, 2023. "Differences in Drug Use among Persons Experiencing Homelessness According to Gender and Nationality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-16, February.
    8. DiGuiseppi, Graham & Clomax, Adriane & Rampton Dodge, Jessica & Rice, Eric, 2021. "Social network correlates of education and employment service use among youth experiencing homelessness: A longitudinal study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    9. Angelina L. DeMarco & Rebecca Hardenbrook & Jeff Rose & Daniel L. Mendoza, 2020. "Air Pollution-Related Health Impacts on Individuals Experiencing Homelessness: Environmental Justice and Health Vulnerability in Salt Lake County, Utah," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-16, November.
    10. Tobias Schiffler & Ali Kapan & Alina Gansterer & Thomas Pass & Lisa Lehner & Alejandro Gil-Salmeron & Daragh T. McDermott & Igor Grabovac, 2023. "Characteristics and Effectiveness of Co-Designed Mental Health Interventions in Primary Care for People Experiencing Homelessness: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, January.
    11. repec:mpr:mprres:6375 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Derrien, Monika M. & Bratman, Gregory N. & Cerveny, Lee K. & Levy, Chaja & Blahna, Dale J. & Frank, Paulo & Serio, Naomi, 2024. "Public nature and health for homeless populations: Professionals’ perceptions of contingent human benefits and harms," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).
    13. Gesthika Kaltsidis & Guy Grenier & Zhirong Cao & Marie-Josée Fleury, 2020. "Change in Housing Status among Homeless and Formerly Homeless Individuals in Quebec, Canada: A Profile Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Rosanna Scutella & Guy Johnson, 2012. "Locating and Designing 'Journeys Home': A Literature Review (Journeys Home: A Longitudinal Study of Factors Affecting Housing Stability)," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2012n11, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    15. Kritika Rana & Andrew Page & Jennifer L. Kent & Amit Arora, 2022. "Pathways Linking Housing Inequalities and Health Outcomes among Migrant and Refugee Populations in High-Income Countries: A Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-12, December.
    16. Lars Benjaminsen, 2016. "Homelessness in a Scandinavian welfare state: The risk of shelter use in the Danish adult population," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(10), pages 2041-2063, August.
    17. Gemma Crawford & Elizabeth Connor & Kahlia McCausland & Karina Reeves & Krysten Blackford, 2022. "Public Health Interventions to Address Housing and Mental Health amongst Migrants from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds Living in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-22, December.
    18. Barbara Straaten & Gerda Rodenburg & Jorien Laan & Sandra N. Boersma & Judith R. L. M. Wolf & Dike Mheen, 2018. "Changes in Social Exclusion Indicators and Psychological Distress Among Homeless People Over a 2.5-Year Period," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 291-311, January.
    19. Barton Hamilton & Andrés Hincapié & Emma C. Kalish & Nicholas W. Papageorge, 2021. "Medical Innovation and Health Disparities," NBER Working Papers 28864, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Vanessa Heaslip & Stephen Richer & Bibha Simkhada & Huseyin Dogan & Sue Green, 2021. "Use of Technology to Promote Health and Wellbeing of People Who Are Homeless: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-18, June.
    21. Brackertz, Nicola & Huang, Donna & Davison, Jim & Hayward, Richard Donald, 2018. "Housing, homelessness and mental health: towards systems change," SocArXiv 48ujp, Center for Open Science.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:13:p:4754-:d:379298. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.