Table 1 Characteristics of “At Home” participants by Housing First allocation status
Variable | Entire sample (N = 497) n (%)/mean (SD) | Eligible sample (n = 381) n (%)/mean (SD) | Housing First-yes (n = 250) n (%)/mean (SD) | Housing First-no (n = 131) n (%)/mean (SD) | p valuea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Housing First interventions | 297 (60) | 250 (66) | |||
Substance dependence | 288 (58) | 223 (59) | 150 (60) | 73 (56) | 0.421 |
Daily substance use | 143 (29) | 110 (29) | 78 (31) | 32 (25) | 0.172 |
Need level (high) | 297 (59) | 223 (59) | |||
Age at randomization (in years) | 40.8 (11.0) | 40.6 (10.9) | 40.6 (10.8) | 40.6 (11.1) | 0.968 |
Age of first homelessness (in years) | 30.3 (13.3) | 29.9 (13.4) | 29.5 (12.9) | 30.5 (14.2) | 0.477 |
Female gender | 134 (27) | 105 (28) | 65 (26) | 40 (31) | 0.313 |
Aboriginals | 77 (16) | 62 (16) | 45 (18) | 17 (13) | 0.119 |
White | 280 (56) | 206 (54) | 139 (56) | 67 (51) | |
Other | 140 (28) | 113 (30) | 66 (26) | 47 (36) | |
Education (incomplete high school) | 280 (57) | 214 (57) | 147 (60) | 67 (51) | 0.118 |
Single/never married | 343 (70) | 254 (67) | 168 (68) | 86 (66) | 0.755 |
Income ($800 CDN or more)b in past month | 257 (52) | 201 (54) | 138 (56) | 63 (49) | 0.180 |
Lifetime duration of homelessness (in months) | 60.2 (70.3) | 56.8 (62.2) | 60.6 (66.4) | 49.5 (52.7) | 0.099 |
Longest episode of homelessness (in months) | 30.9 (40.1) | 29.7 (38.8) | 31.1 (40.2) | 27.2 (36.0) | 0.353 |
Less severe cluster of mental disorders | 264 (53) | 201 (59) | 130 (52) | 71 (54) | 0.683 |
Severe cluster of mental disorders | 363 (73) | 272 (71) | 180 (72) | 92 (70) | 0.716 |
Multiple mental disorders (≥3) | 114 (25) | 88 (23) | 61 (24) | 27 (21) | 0.405 |
Suicidality (high) | 87 (17) | 68 (18) | 44 (18) | 24 (18) | 0.861 |
Mental health severity/CSI score (per unit) | 37.2 (12.5) | 37.3 (12.6) | 36.6 (12.8) | 38.7 (12.2) | 0.116 |
Chronic health conditions (≥3) | 344 (69) | 266 (70) | 172 (69) | 94 (72) | 0.551 |
Blood-borne infectious disease (HIV, hepatitis B or C) | 157 (32) | 121 (32) | 83 (33) | 38 (29) | 0.416 |
Have a regular medical doctor | 320 (65) | 257 (67) | 170 (68) | 87 (67) | 0.831 |
Place to go when you are sick | 395 (81) | 302 (81) | 202 (82) | 100 (78) | 0.396 |
Needed health care, but didn’t receive it | 209 (43) | 156 (42) | 97 (40) | 59 (46) | 0.239 |
ED visit before randomization (last year) | 4.1 (7.0) | 4.2 (7.1) | 4.0 (6.8) | 0.778 | |
Hospital admissions before randomization (last year) | 0.9 (1.5) | 0.9 (1.5) | 0.9 (1.5) | 0.805 |