Degree
Master of Science
Program
Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Supervisor
Dr. Treena Orchard
Abstract
This thesis examines how structural and everyday factors impact the survival strategies and mental health issues of young homeless females in London, Ontario. Data were gathered through secondary analysis of information from a larger study of service utilization and mental illness among homeless youth in London, and fieldnotes were also collected. The most important findings pertain to how these youth navigate the complicated terrain of daily life and the multitude of social and health-related services that they struggle to obtain and desperately need. The participants’ experiences with healthcare, justice, and social support systems, reveal a multitude of intersecting structural barriers that make obtaining these much needed resources almost insurmountable, which often exacerbates their already vulnerable status as homeless females within the volatile context of street life. These data contribute important insights regarding the development of programs and policies that reflect and better account for these girls’ challenging living situations.
Recommended Citation
Vesanen, Louise M., "Under a Bridge, At Missions and Shelters, In Alleyways, Wherever I Woke Up: An Exploration of How Structural and Everyday Factors Impact Mental Health Issues and Survival Strategies Among Young Homeless Women in London, Ontario" (2012). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 873.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/873