Examining risk factors for homeless men: gender role conflict, help-seeking behaviors, substance abuse and violence

Despite drastic and severe fiscal cuts in services to the homeless, their need continues to remain very high. Men are a particularly vulnerable group among the homeless and continue to struggle with substance abuse, mental illness, and physical health issues. When faced with these struggles, men are often reluctant to ask for help. The results indicate that the men surveyed are not likely to seek help for their physical and psychological struggles. We examined other risk factors to homeless men including amount of alcohol and drug use, length of homelessness, gender role conflict and susceptibility to committing a violent act. Limitations to the study are presented and discussed as well. Keywords: homelessness, men, help-seeking behavior, gender role conflict, violence
Homeless men and women are often visible on the street corners and benches in most large urban cities and rural communities. Many are recognizable by their unkempt appearance, displays of [...]