A new method for quantifying homelessness

Homelessness is a difficult phenomenon to quantify, and all homelessness statistics are rather unreliable compared to most social statistics. Many European countries are working hard to prevent or end homelessness. To support... [ view full abstract ]

Homelessness is a difficult phenomenon to quantify, and all homelessness statistics are rather unreliable compared to most social statistics. Many European countries are working hard to prevent or end homelessness. To support and evaluate this work, proper data about the quantity and profile on homelessness is needed. Especially longitudinal and register-based data would be necessary to obtain.

In my presentation, I will give a brief overview of the state of art research on how many homeless there are in different European countries, and who these marginalized people are. I also present shortly the different methods for collecting this kind of data and the problems related to these methods.

Next, I will present my own research, in which I propose a unique approach to studying homelessness quantitatively. I use a register-based total data of all social assistance recipients in the capital of Finland during a period of three years. The data was built by joining together the registers of Social institution of Finland and the register of City of Helsinki Social Services and Health Care Department. The data is unique, being a longitudinal, register-based total data on a central group of homeless. It also includes factors which have never been studied among homeless before, such as use of depression and sleeping medicines and tranquilizers. Since the focus of this study is on homelessness of young adults, the results will be presented focusing on them. The results build a profile of a young homeless income recipient in Helsinki and explore the young adults’ transitions into and out of homelessness.