"I want nothing to do with hospitals anymore": challenges, met and unmet needs of people experiencing homelessness with acquired brain injury.

PURPOSE: People experiencing homelessness have a high prevalence of mental and physical health problems, including acquired brain injury (ABI), which leads to complex health and social needs. The literature highlights the challenging and often stigmatizing experiences people in situations of homelessness have within the various services involved in their care. This study aimed to identify the challenges, as well as the met and unmet needs, of people experiencing homelessness and ABI in their daily lives and across the services involved in their trajectories, both in community and institutional settings.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A qualitative study involving 26 semi-structured interviews with people with a history of both homelessness and ABI was conducted. Data were analyzed using Paillé and Mucchielli's method of thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Participants reported 1) intersecting health and social challenges and needs related to ABI and comorbid conditions influence residential pathways, recovery, and service use; 2) fragmented and often inadequate service responses to complex and intersecting needs and challenges and 3) nonuse of health care services.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the complex and diverse needs of people experiencing homelessness with an ABI, and emphasizes the urgent need for a coordinated, integrated approach to improve their experiences with services.