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. 2023 Jan;40(1):17-27.
doi: 10.1111/phn.13136. Epub 2022 Oct 17.

Coping during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults experiencing homelessness and unstable housing: A qualitative study

Karen DiValerio Gibbs  1   2 , Jennifer Torres Jones  1 , Whitney LaMark  1 , Sarah Abdulmooti  1 , Lauren Bretz  3 , Kelly D Kearney  1 , Sarah Carter Narendorf  4 , Diane M Santa Maria  1
Affiliations

Coping during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults experiencing homelessness and unstable housing: A qualitative study

Karen DiValerio Gibbs et al. Public Health Nurs. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Young adults experiencing homelessness (YAEH) experience more stressors compared to housed peers, yet little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these youth. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how YAEH perceived the pandemic's impact on their well-being and coping.

Methods: YAEH were recruited from those participating in an HIV prevention study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysis was guided by Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress and coping.

Results: Four major themes were identified from interviews with 40 youth: (1) ongoing harms, (2) COVID-19 as a stressor, (3) mental health impacts, and (4) coping strategies. Participants described unmet basic needs, emotions of frustration and anxiety, and several coping strategies including substance use.

Conclusion: Many YAEH reported experiencing continued challenges that were compounded by the stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Special considerations are needed to address pandemic-related exacerbations of mental health symptoms and substance use among YAEH.

Keywords: COVID-19; mental health; substance use; young adults; youth experiencing homelessness.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Organization of themes [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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