Terms That Refer to Homeless Populations: National Surveys of Several Stakeholder Groups.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the descriptive terms used in referring to homeless populations.

METHODS

Data were from a 2020 national survey of 6,607 middle- and low-income U.S. adults with or without lived experiences of homelessness and a 2021 survey of a convenience sample of 354 U.S. researchers, homelessness service providers, and policy makers.

RESULTS

Among the middle- and low-income adults, 70%-73% reported using the term "homeless person," although adults with histories of homelessness were more likely to use "person experiencing homelessness" than those with no such histories. Among the providers, researchers, and policy makers, ≥39% reported using "person experiencing homelessness" in both writing and speaking, and they also had consensus around using "person at risk of homelessness" and "person in shelter."

CONCLUSIONS

Most stakeholders agreed that "homeless person" or "person experiencing homelessness" are acceptable terms. Because usage may vary by social background, profession, and individual, best practice may be to ask individuals with experiences of homelessness what terms they prefer to use.