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Exploring perspectives on living through the COVID-19 pandemic for people experiencing homelessness and dealing with mental ill-health and/or substance use: qualitative study.
- Source :
- Advances in Dual Diagnosis; 2024, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p1-13, 13p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Purpose: This study aims to explore the experiences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic for people who faced homelessness and dealt with mental health and/or substance use challenges. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study was comprised of 26 1:1 interviews (16 men and 10 women), conducted between February and May 2021 with people who experienced homelessness in North East England during the COVID-19 pandemic. An inductive reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken, with input from individuals with lived experience who were involved throughout the study. Findings: Four themes were developed. The first theme, lack of support and exacerbation of mental health and substance use difficulties, highlighted how the lack of in-person support and increased isolation and loneliness led to relapses or new challenges for many people's mental health and substance use. The second theme, uncertainty and fear during the pandemic, explored how the "surreal" experience of the pandemic led to many people feeling uncertain about the future and when things would return to normal. The third theme, isolation and impacts on social networks, discussed how isolation and changes to relationships also played a role in mental health and substance use. Finally, opportunity for reflection and self-improvement for mental health and substance use, explored how some people used the isolated time to re-evaluate their recovery journey and focus on self-improvement. Practical implications: The experiences shared within this study have important implications for planning the future delivery and commissioning of health and social care services for people facing homelessness, such as sharing information accessibly through clear, consistent and simple language. Originality/value: As one of the few papers to involve people with lived experience as part of the research, the findings reflect the unique narratives of this population with a focus on improving services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- SUBSTANCE abuse
DUAL diagnosis
PSYCHOTHERAPY patients
DISEASE exacerbation
FEAR
HEALTH services accessibility
QUALITATIVE research
RESEARCH funding
MENTAL illness
INTERVIEWING
LONELINESS
UNCERTAINTY
REFLECTION (Philosophy)
EXPERIENCE
PSYCHOLOGY of drug abusers
THEMATIC analysis
HOMELESS persons
SOCIAL networks
CONVALESCENCE
SOCIAL support
DISEASE relapse
INTERPERSONAL relations
HEALTH equity
HOMELESSNESS
COVID-19 pandemic
PSYCHOSOCIAL factors
PATIENTS' attitudes
SOCIAL isolation
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17570972
- Volume :
- 17
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Advances in Dual Diagnosis
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 176810287
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1108/ADD-06-2023-0014