Study finds better definition of homelessness may help minimize HIV risk
Even from a research standpoint, definitions across various studies lack consistency, according to Elizabeth Bowen, an assistant professor in the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, whose new study published in the Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Work suggests how understanding housing histories and the multiple dimensions of homelessness can help better identify who might be at greater risk of transmitting or contracting HIV. "The homeless population can't be painted with a broad brush because there will be people within that group who have more stability than others," she said. "This study came of wanting to break down what it means to be homeless and linking that with HIV risk behaviors." Bowen's research looked specifically at residents of single-room occupancy (SRO) housing in Chicago, a group that illustrates the difficulty of assigning a unified definition of homelessness. Bowen says there is a subset of the SRO group that consi...