A homelessness intervention program in Canada improved housing stability but didn't lead to a difference in the individuals' health-related quality of life, according to the study published in JAMA.
Researchers conducted the study with nearly 1,200 homeless adults in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, randomly assigning some to intervention groups and some to usual care groups.
The intervention groups offered scattered-site housing with rent supplements and access to intensive care management services. Individuals in the usual care group had access to existing housing and the support services in their communities.
After 24 months, the percentage of days individuals were stably housed was between 33 and 49 percent higher among the intervention group than the usual care group.
Comparing the groups' health-related quality of life — assessed by a health questionnaire — the average change in 24 months from the baseline was not statistically different between the two groups. Although, additional analyses found considerable gains in condition-specific quality of life measures — such as living situation and safety — among the intervention group compared with the usual care group.
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