Houselessnes and Health: Integrating structural, social and behavioral pathways

Research

Our current NSF-funded research aims to develop a holistic understanding of the factors that drive variation in health among people living with housing insecurity in the United States. This work is a collaboration between Lesley Jo Weaver, Josh Snodgrass, and Zachary DuBois at the University of Oregon.

People with insecure housing endure high risks of illness and death across all categories, yet the specific pathways leading to variable health outcomes in this vulnerable population are under-investigated. This project investigates the individual, community, and structural factors that shape health for people with insecure housing, aiming to understand the nuanced ways that these factors  interact to affect specific vulnerabilities. To answer these questions, we compare experiences of people living with unsheltered houselessness and sheltered houselessness.

Media coverage

Our research has been featured by numerous regional news organizations including Portland-based KGW 8 NBC and KOIN 6 CBS, Eugene-based KEZI 9 ABC, KVAL 13 CBS, and KMTR 16 NBC and Ashland-based Daily Tidings. We were also highlighted in the University of Oregon’s Newsletter Around the O.