Homelessness & Substance use Flashcards
(44 cards)
What is the seaton house?
Houses up to 600 homeless men but as many as 900
Three programs, including a Managed Alcohol Program (MAP)
Medical services provided within the shelter beginning in 2003
What is a street nurse?
Advocate for the rights of people experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs and alcohol
Meet people where they are at (i.e, in shelters, on the streets, in their homes, community, clinic)
Have a better understanding of the needs of people experiencing homelessness
What is neuropsychology?
Examines relationship between brain and behaviour
Assessment techniques uncover cognitive abilities
Profile of strengths and weaknesses
Guides interventions
What is neuropsychological service?
Chart review Screening and comprehensive testing Clinical interview Examination of several cognitive domains Provide support for: refugees, ODSP, DSO, diagnostic clarification, rehabilitation, treatment recommendations
What are some examples of cognitive domains examined in neuropsychological service?
Memory, Executive functioning, Speech and language, Intellectual and academic functioning, Adaptive functioning, Attention, Visual and spatial abilities, Motor speed and coordination, Emotional functioning and personality
What conditions might require assessment?
Neurological Disorders and Diseases Psychiatric Disorders Developmental Disorders ADHD/ADD Acquired/Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussions
Approximately how many Canadians experience homelessness in a given year?
Over 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness within a year
Approximately how many Canadians experience homelessness in a given night?
35,000
How many homeless people are between the ages of 25 and 49 ?
52%
How many individuals in ottawa are chronically homeless?
1,000 and 72.7% are men
Who is at risk?
People experiencing discrimination, oppression, racism, stigma, inequitable distribution of resources…
Who is at highest risk?
People at higher risk:
Racialized minorities
Indigenous people
People experiencing homelessness or poverty
LGBTQ2S community
People with mental health and/or cognitive challenges
People with a family history of substance use
What is the relationship between mental health and addictions in Canada?
1 in 5 Canadians experience mental illness or addiction
People with mental illness are twice as likely to have substance use problem compared to general pop.
At least 20% of people with a mental illness have a co-occurring substance use problem
Canadians in the lowest income group are 3 to 4 times more likely than those in the highest income group to report poor to fair mental health
What do a lot of homelesss people have in common?
TBI’s (53%) (70% occurring before homelessness), mental illness, developmental disability, chronic health conditions, ER visits, food scarcity, and homeless when incarcerated
What is the majority of race/ethnic identity of toronto’s homeless?
White (37%), black (33%) and aboriginal (10%)
What are shared characteristics of those first experiencing homelessness?
Low SES background, mostly male, parent had substance use/disability, child abuse, high unemployment, did not complete HS, 3 distressing life events in prior year, chronic illness in previous year, lifetime diagnosis of mental illness and/or substance abuse dependence
What are some social determinants of health?
Housing, Income and employment, Food Security, Access to Health Care, Education and Literacy, Social Supports/Inclusion, Childhood Development, Gender, Culture, Social supports and inclusion (need to be connected with people and community)
Homeless in toronto from (2017 to 2018)
total deaths: 145 people
average age of death 50 y/o, 110 male identifying, causes of death: drug toxicity, cardiovascular, other and unkown
What is the housing crisis?
Not enough affordable housing, Not enough shelter beds, Increasing number of people using the shelter system, Gentrification, People sleeping outside
What is the relationship between homelessness and substance use
Substance use is common among the homeless (83%) and moderate to sever TBI associated with increased drug risk and mental health issues
What are homeless people with a substance use disorder more likely to report?
health as being fair/poor, high stress, self medicate, experience physical assaults, loneliness, considered and attempted suicide compared to other homeless individuals
Homelessness and alcohol use
Heavy alcoholism reported in 53% to 73% . Of the chronically homeless in Ottawa 48% to 63% have a history of alcoholism
Drinking non-palatable alcohol is common
Recurrent ER visits related to alcohol related issues
Intoxication lead to police encounters and arrest
Rehabilitation unlikely and rates are low
What are the health consequences of alcoholism?
Risk of a variety of physical health issues
Enlargement of the sulci and ventricles
Reduction in grey and white matter (prefrontal/frontal cortex)
Volume deficits in the anterior hippocampus, corpus callosum, mammillary bodies, caudate nucleus and putamen, pons, thalamus and cerebellum
Associated with cognitive declines and in some cases Korsakoff syndrome
Excessive use associated with early death
What do they examine in a neuropsychological assessment of alcohol related brain damage?
Examination of frontal lobe/executive functioning Visuospatial abilities Memory Attention Psychomotor skills
