Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive, Mar 8, 2021
BackgroundCanada, a key player in global humanitarian affairs is faced with enormous challenges i... more BackgroundCanada, a key player in global humanitarian affairs is faced with enormous challenges in relation to housing and homelessness. As international migration continues to occur, homelessness among immigrant families is increasing worldwide; a situation that needs urgent attention and action.PurposeWe designed this study to explore the needs of homeless families, identify risk factors associated with family homelessness, and to find strategies that could assist in mitigating and preventing homelessness among families in Canada.MethodsThis paper reports qualitative findings from a focused ethnographic study embedded in participatory action research that explored the experiences of 11 immigrant families with housing challenges in Ontario Canada.ResultsThematic analysis yielded five (5) major themes: life challenges; lack of understanding of the system; difficulty with conflict resolution; escaping as a solution for hardship; and reducing immigrant family homelessness.ConclusionFindings from the study highlight the urgent need for advocacy and a well-tailored supportive housing policy to address family homelessness in Ontario.
Background Homelessness is becoming an international public health issue in most developed countr... more Background Homelessness is becoming an international public health issue in most developed countries, including Canada. Homelessness is regarded as both political and socioeconomic problems warranting broad and consistent result-oriented approaches. Methods This paper represents the qualitative findings of a project that explored risk factors associated with family homelessness and strategies that could mitigate and prevent homelessness among families using a focused ethnographic study guided by the principles of participatory action research (PAR). The sample includes 36 family members residing at a family shelter who participated in focus groups over two years (between April 2016 and December 2017). Most of the participants were single-parent women. Results The analysis yielded five major themes including, life challenges, lack of understanding of the system, existing power differentials, escaping from hardship, and a theme of proposed solutions for reducing family homelessness in...
IntroductionSubstance use can occur in the hospital setting among people with substance use disor... more IntroductionSubstance use can occur in the hospital setting among people with substance use disorder, including intravenous use. However, the provision of sharps boxes is not typically offered in Canadian hospitals. This study set out to explore the current issues due to the lack of harm reduction in the hospital setting.MethodThirty-one health care professionals participated in virtual one-to-one interviews and focus groups regarding harm reduction in hospital. The issue of sharps box removal was highlighted as a concern. A secondary ethnographic thematic analysis explored this theme in more detail. A scoping review of the literature observed additional considerations.FindingsSharps box removal was commonplace for people who were known to be, or suspected of, using substances. Sharps boxes only to be used for medical purposes and fears of box tampering were cited as reasons for removal. Health care professionals noted that patients would have to use sharps boxes situated elsewhere....
Appropriate support in the home may not be readily available for people living in the community w... more Appropriate support in the home may not be readily available for people living in the community with mental illness and physical comorbidities. This mixed-method study evaluated a smart home technology intervention for individuals within this population as well as providing health care providers with health monitoring capabilities. The study recruited 13 participants who were offered a smartphone, a touchscreen monitor, and health devices, including smartwatches, weigh scales, and automated medication dispensers. Healthcare providers were able to track health device data, which were synchronized with the Lawson Integrated DataBase. Participants completed interviews at baseline as well as at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Focus groups with participants and care providers were conducted separately at 6-month and 12-month time points. As the sample size was too small for meaningful statistical inference, only descriptive statistics were presented. However, the qualitative analyses re...
ObjectivesTo describe COVID-19 vaccine coverage (i.e., the estimated percentage of people who hav... more ObjectivesTo describe COVID-19 vaccine coverage (i.e., the estimated percentage of people who have received a vaccine) and determinants of vaccine receipt among individuals with a recent experience of homelessness in Ontario, Canada. ApproachWe conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study of 23,247 individuals (≥18 years) with a recent experience of homelessness as recorded in routinely collected healthcare databases. Participants were followed from December 14, 2020 to September 30, 2021 for the receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine. Using modified Poisson regression, we identified sociodemographic, healthcare usage, and clinical factors associated with the receipt of one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. ResultsBy September 30, 14,271 (61.4%) of participants with a recent experience of homelessness had received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 11,082 (47.7%) had received two doses. Over the same period, 86.6% and 81.6% of the total adult population of Ontario had rece...
Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive, Mar 8, 2021
BackgroundCanada, a key player in global humanitarian affairs is faced with enormous challenges i... more BackgroundCanada, a key player in global humanitarian affairs is faced with enormous challenges in relation to housing and homelessness. As international migration continues to occur, homelessness among immigrant families is increasing worldwide; a situation that needs urgent attention and action.PurposeWe designed this study to explore the needs of homeless families, identify risk factors associated with family homelessness, and to find strategies that could assist in mitigating and preventing homelessness among families in Canada.MethodsThis paper reports qualitative findings from a focused ethnographic study embedded in participatory action research that explored the experiences of 11 immigrant families with housing challenges in Ontario Canada.ResultsThematic analysis yielded five (5) major themes: life challenges; lack of understanding of the system; difficulty with conflict resolution; escaping as a solution for hardship; and reducing immigrant family homelessness.ConclusionFindings from the study highlight the urgent need for advocacy and a well-tailored supportive housing policy to address family homelessness in Ontario.
Background Homelessness is becoming an international public health issue in most developed countr... more Background Homelessness is becoming an international public health issue in most developed countries, including Canada. Homelessness is regarded as both political and socioeconomic problems warranting broad and consistent result-oriented approaches. Methods This paper represents the qualitative findings of a project that explored risk factors associated with family homelessness and strategies that could mitigate and prevent homelessness among families using a focused ethnographic study guided by the principles of participatory action research (PAR). The sample includes 36 family members residing at a family shelter who participated in focus groups over two years (between April 2016 and December 2017). Most of the participants were single-parent women. Results The analysis yielded five major themes including, life challenges, lack of understanding of the system, existing power differentials, escaping from hardship, and a theme of proposed solutions for reducing family homelessness in...
IntroductionSubstance use can occur in the hospital setting among people with substance use disor... more IntroductionSubstance use can occur in the hospital setting among people with substance use disorder, including intravenous use. However, the provision of sharps boxes is not typically offered in Canadian hospitals. This study set out to explore the current issues due to the lack of harm reduction in the hospital setting.MethodThirty-one health care professionals participated in virtual one-to-one interviews and focus groups regarding harm reduction in hospital. The issue of sharps box removal was highlighted as a concern. A secondary ethnographic thematic analysis explored this theme in more detail. A scoping review of the literature observed additional considerations.FindingsSharps box removal was commonplace for people who were known to be, or suspected of, using substances. Sharps boxes only to be used for medical purposes and fears of box tampering were cited as reasons for removal. Health care professionals noted that patients would have to use sharps boxes situated elsewhere....
Appropriate support in the home may not be readily available for people living in the community w... more Appropriate support in the home may not be readily available for people living in the community with mental illness and physical comorbidities. This mixed-method study evaluated a smart home technology intervention for individuals within this population as well as providing health care providers with health monitoring capabilities. The study recruited 13 participants who were offered a smartphone, a touchscreen monitor, and health devices, including smartwatches, weigh scales, and automated medication dispensers. Healthcare providers were able to track health device data, which were synchronized with the Lawson Integrated DataBase. Participants completed interviews at baseline as well as at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Focus groups with participants and care providers were conducted separately at 6-month and 12-month time points. As the sample size was too small for meaningful statistical inference, only descriptive statistics were presented. However, the qualitative analyses re...
ObjectivesTo describe COVID-19 vaccine coverage (i.e., the estimated percentage of people who hav... more ObjectivesTo describe COVID-19 vaccine coverage (i.e., the estimated percentage of people who have received a vaccine) and determinants of vaccine receipt among individuals with a recent experience of homelessness in Ontario, Canada. ApproachWe conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study of 23,247 individuals (≥18 years) with a recent experience of homelessness as recorded in routinely collected healthcare databases. Participants were followed from December 14, 2020 to September 30, 2021 for the receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine. Using modified Poisson regression, we identified sociodemographic, healthcare usage, and clinical factors associated with the receipt of one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. ResultsBy September 30, 14,271 (61.4%) of participants with a recent experience of homelessness had received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 11,082 (47.7%) had received two doses. Over the same period, 86.6% and 81.6% of the total adult population of Ontario had rece...
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Papers by Cheryl Forchuk