Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

From Street To Home: Using Photovoice To Better Understand Homelessness In Portland, Maximilian West, Greg Townley Phd, Nicole Cerra Mph, Ted Amann Rn, Mph

Student Research Symposium

Homelessness remains a pressing concern in Portland. The homeless-to-housed transition requires more than access to shelter: some individuals have trouble adapting to the change in social contact that accompanies solitary living (indoors); others may face difficulty setting boundaries associated with property (e.g., endangering their lease by having too many guests) or other community-living norms. This study used photovoice, a community-based participatory research method, to explore the dynamics experienced by homelessness survivors.

A total of 13 participants were recruited through HEARTH, a research collaborative including researchers from OHSU, PSU, and NCNM along with staff, consumers, and volunteers at Central City Concern, …