Pathways to Homelessness: Exploring the Mental Health Experiences of Refugees Experiencing Homelessness in Canada

BACKGROUND: Homelessness among refugees continues to be a growing issue in Canada. Recent reports indicate the rapidly growing population of refugees, most especially refugee claimants, accessing emergency shelters in Canada. Research to date has been limited on how the diversity of factors, such as refugee’s mental health experiences, could potentially play a role as pathways to shelter. The purpose of this study therefore is to explore the mental health experiences of refugees through their pathways to homelessness in Canada. METHODS: This study, a secondary analysis, is framed within the critical theoretical perspective and an intersectional lens. The study sample included 15 participants who were all refugee claimants residing in emergency shelters in two Canadian cities. The data was derived from a primary study that investigated pathways to homelessness among refugees. A qualitative thematic methodology was used in analyzing the data to understand how mental health experiences among refugees influence their pathways to homelessness. NVivo software was used in managing the development of themes from the data. RESULTS: Three themes are proposed that examine the role of mental health in pathways to homelessness. The first, Compounding Marginalization, reflects the several points of marginalization faced by refugees both in their home country and upon arrival in Canada. The second theme, Mental Health is Precarious, highlights how homelessness has a negative impact on the mental health of refugees. The third theme, Homelessness is Caused by a Lack of Housing, reflects how participants in this study attributed their homelessness not to poor mental health but to a lack of affordable housing. CONCLUSION: Results from the study indicate that while refugee claimants experience mental health stressors, these do not necessarily influence their pathways to homelessness. Rather, homelessness among this population stems from a lack of financial resources emanating from their inability to secure jobs, unrecognized status, language barriers, low social assistance rates, and the lack of affordable housing. However, homelessness among refugees was suggested to predispose them to a deterioration in mental health and experiences of mental stressors