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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

SO186

Mental health needs of Canadian male and female veterans with lived experience of homelessness

MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AMONG CANADIAN MEN AND WOMEN VETERANS WITH EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS

Canadian female and male veterans experiencing homelessness report both shared and distinct mental health needs. Trauma was reported in both groups, whereas post-traumatic stress disorder was reported only by women, and substance use was reported by all men.

The aim is to compare the mental health experiences and recommendations for support of Canadian female and male veterans with lived experience of homelessness. The data come from the qualitative components of two separate Canadian studies: an ongoing national study involving only female veterans and a completed study involving male veterans participating in a Housing First program in four cities. Interviews were conducted individually using a mixed-methods approach, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim, and ethnographic thematic analysis was applied. Participants had served in the Canadian Armed Forces or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and had experienced homelessness in the past or were currently experiencing it. In the female sample presented in the poster (N = 45), the mean age was 54 years, the mean length of service was 11 years, 6 participants were trans women, and 10 identified as 2SLGBTQIA+; the reported ethnic distribution was 33 White, 7 mixed ethnicity, 4 Indigenous, and 2 Black participants. It is noted that approximately 2,400 veterans in Canada are homeless, approximately 30 percent of whom are women; that 10–15 percent of Canadian female veterans may be homeless; and that 30 percent of veterans in Ontario seek mental health support. Both groups reported a need for additional health and mental health support. Trauma before, during, and after military service was reported in both groups, but only women reported post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); women also experienced sexual trauma, most of which was related to their military experiences. Peer support, particularly the subtheme of camaraderie, was valued by both groups. More than half of the women and all of the men reported substance use, most commonly tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol; men identified harm reduction as crucial to remaining housed. In describing ideal program design, participants prioritized veteran-specific and gender-specific housing, outreach support, and peer support, as well as employment support to help sustain housing. They emphasized that transitional housing was helpful but predominantly occupied by men, and that the definition of a veteran needed clarification. The authors state that the findings will provide a foundation for developing gender-specific service models, policy changes at the federal, provincial, and local levels, and the expansion of veteran-focused research internationally.

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