[Living conditions and place of residence]

Abstract

When looking at how people with severe mental disorders reintegrate the community, housing stands out as a key factor. Until now, the specialized press has mostly focused on the description and assessment of various residential programs that deal with readaptation. Rarely have we attempted to find out from psychiatric outpatients themselves what their living conditions are like or what opinion they have on their environment. Based on research conducted on a group of 151 individuals who had received care in a psychiatric ward, this article reports on the person's living conditions relating to their type of accomodations. Survey data shows the possibility for: 1) comparing various types of housing arrangements with the individuals' clinical and socio-demographic characteristics ; and 2) considering the impact of the type of residence on other areas of life. These informations are also put into perspective with the individual's own assessment of his or her living conditions.