Exploring Health Inequities: Head Injuries in People Experiencing Homelessness
Abstract
Lifetime occurrence of head injury is disproportionately affecting people experiencing homelessness in Canada. Head injury in people experiencing homelessness is associated with victimization, housing instability and substance use (Topolovec-Vranic et al., 2017). However, individual factors including sex, race, social class and disability also produce social and health inequities which may have intersectional impacts on this population (McCall, 2005). Through secondary exploration of data from the No Fixed Address Version 2 (NFAv2) and No Fixed Address Version 2x (NFAv2x) studies (Forchuk et al., 2018; in press), and an intersectional lens, the purpose of this study was to explore relationships between individual factors as well as risks in relation to head injury in people experiencing homelessness. Four of the independent variables were statistically significant in the binary logistic regression model including; education, mental health issues, physical health issues and victimization. Findings help to explain multiple inequities faced by people experiencing homelessness that shape their experiences with head injury. Further research is needed to develop a greater understanding of head injury in people experiencing homelessness.