The Association of Residential Instability and Hospitalizations among Homeless and Vulnerably Housed Individuals: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study.

The present study examined the association of residential instability with hospitalizations among homeless and vulnerably housed individuals over a 4-year time period. Survey data were linked to administrative records on hospitalizations. Specifically, we used data from the Health and Housing in Transition study, a prospective cohort study that tracked the health and housing status of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals in Canada.

Longitudinal Associations between Perceived Quality of Living Spaces and Health-Related Quality of Life among Homeless and Vulnerably Housed Individuals Living in Three Canadian Cities.

The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal associations between perceived quality of living spaces and mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among homeless and vulnerably housed individuals living in three Canadian cities. The Health and Housing in Transition (HHiT) study was a prospective cohort study conducted between 2009 and 2013 of N = 1190 individuals who were homeless and vulnerably housed at baseline. Perceived quality of living spaces (based on rated comfort, safety, spaciousness, privacy, friendliness and overall quality) and both mental and physical HRQoL were assessed at baseline and at four annual follow up points.

Assessing Patient Motivation for Treatment: A Systematic Review of Available Tools, Their Measurement Properties, and Conceptual Definition.

Background And Purpose: Motivation is often reported by clinicians and researchers as a key factor related to treatment and health outcomes. This systematic review aims to (a) Identify and critically appraise tools that measure patient motivation for treatment and (b) determine how these tools define and evaluate motivation.

Methods: Library databases and the search engine Google Scholar were examined.

A Technology-based Intervention to Increase Reading Comprehension of Morphosyntax Structures.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a technology-based intervention (LanguageLinks: Syntax Assessment and Intervention®; Laureate Learning Systems, Inc., 2013) to improve reading comprehension for d/Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) elementary students. The intervention was a self-paced, interactive program designed to scaffold learning of morphosyntax structures.

The effect of forensic events on health status and housing stability among homeless and vulnerably housed individuals: A cohort study.

We sought to characterize the association between a forensic event (arrest or incarceration) with housing vulnerability and mental and physical health status over a four-year follow-up among a cohort of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Data were obtained from the Health and Housing in Transition Study, a prospective cohort study of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals between 2009 and 2012. Participants were interviewed in-person at baseline (N = 1190) and at four annual follow-up time points.

Residential moves and its association with substance use, healthcare needs, and acute care use among homeless and vulnerably housed persons in Canada.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between housing instability, as measured by the number of residential moves, with problematic substance use, unmet healthcare needs, and acute care utilization.

Methods: A cohort of homeless or vulnerably housed persons from Vancouver (n = 387), Toronto (n = 390), and Ottawa (n = 396) completed interviewer-administered surveys at baseline and annually for 4 years from 2009 to 2013. Generalized mixed effects logistic regression models were used to examine the association between the number of residential moves and each of the three outcome variables, adjusting for potential confounders.

Concurrent Disorders and Health Care Utilization Among Homeless and Vulnerably Housed Persons in Canada.

Objective: Individuals who are homeless or vulnerably housed have a higher prevalence of concurrent disorders, defined as having a mental health diagnosis and problematic substance use, compared to the general housed population. The study objective was to investigate the effect of having concurrent disorders on health care utilization among homeless or vulnerably housed individuals, using longitudinal data from the Health and Housing in Transition Study.

Methods: In 2009, 1190 homeless or vulnerably housed adults were recruited in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver, Canada.

Minimal impact of response shift for SF-12 mental and physical health status in homeless and vulnerably housed individuals: an item-level multi-group analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether homeless or vulnerably housed individuals experienced response shift over a 12-month time period in their self-reported physical and mental health status.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Health and Housing in Transition study, a longitudinal multi-site cohort study in Canada (N = 1190 at baseline). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) and methods for response shift detection at the item level, based on the approach by Oort, were used to test for reconceptualization, reprioritization, and recalibration response shift on the SF-12 in four groups of individuals who were homeless (n = 170), housed (n = 437), or who reported a change in their housing status [from homeless to housed (n = 285) or housed to homeless (n = 73)] over a 12-month time period.

Comprehension of Written Grammar Test: Reliability and Known-Groups Validity Study With Hearing and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students.

The aim of the current study was to gather validation evidence for the Comprehension of Written Grammar (CWG; Easterbrooks, 2010) receptive test of 26 grammatical structures of English print for use with children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH). Reliability and validity data were collected for 98 participants (49 DHH and 49 hearing) in Grades 2-6. The objectives were to: (a) examine 4-week test-retest reliability data; and (b) provide evidence of known-groups validity by examining expected differences between the groups on the CWG vocabulary pretest and main test, as well as selected structures.

Healthcare Utilization, Legal Incidents, and Victimization Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Homeless and Vulnerably Housed Individuals: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To characterize the associations between a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and subsequent healthcare utilization, legal involvement, and victimization.

Setting: Three major Canadian cities.

Participants: A total of 1181 homeless and vulnerably housed adults who were single and 18 years or older.

Substance use and access to health care and addiction treatment among homeless and vulnerably housed persons in three Canadian cities.

Introduction: We examined the prevalence of substance use disorders among homeless and vulnerably housed persons in three Canadian cities and its association with unmet health care needs and access to addiction treatment using baseline data from the Health and Housing in Transition Study.

Methods: In 2009, 1191 homeless and vulnerably housed persons were recruited in Vancouver, Toronto, and Ottawa, Canada. Interviewer administered questionnaires collected data on socio-demographics, housing history, chronic health conditions, mental health diagnoses, problematic drug use (DAST-10≥6), problematic alcohol use (AUDIT≥20), unmet physical and mental health care needs, addiction treatment in the past 12 months.

Associations between social participation and subjective quality of life for adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

Purpose: To examine the association between social participation and subjective quality of life (SQOL) for non-employed, community-dwelling adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) at 1 year or greater post-injury.

Method: A correlational study was conducted involving 46 participants. Social participation was measured using the Community Integration Questionnaire, Social Provisions Scale and the Adult Subjective Assessment of Participation.

The role of diet in predicting iron deficiency anemia in HIV-positive women.

Purpose: The association between medical, social, and nutritional factors and iron deficiency anemia was examined in adult women who had tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and were living in the Greater Vancouver Area.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study of 102 HIV-positive women, aged 19 or older, who were patients of one of three chosen community health clinics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Information on usual dietary intake and other nutrition-related factors was collected with a short diet survey, while medical information and laboratory data were obtained from each participant's medical chart.

Quality of life themes in Canadian adults and street youth who are homeless or hard-to-house: a multi-site focus group study.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify what is most important to the quality of life (QoL) of those who experience homelessness by directly soliciting the views of homeless and hard-to-house Canadians themselves. These individuals live within a unique social context that differs considerably from that of the general population. To understand the life areas that are most important to them, it is critical to have direct input from target populations of homeless and hard-to-house persons.

Subjective age in early adolescence: relationships with chronological age, pubertal timing, desired age, and problem behaviors.

Subjective age generally refers to the age that one feels. In a cross-sectional questionnaire study of 245 adolescents ages 10-14 years, we examined (a) whether, and when, a cross-over in subjective age occurs, (b) differences in subjective age among pubertal timing groups, (c) correlations between subjective age and each of desired age and five problem behaviors, and (d) the relative contributions of chronological age, pubertal timing, desired age, and problem behaviors to subjective age in boys and girls. Adolescents generally reported subjective and desired ages that were slightly older than their chronological ages.

The health and housing in transition study: a longitudinal study of the health of homeless and vulnerably housed adults in three Canadian cities.

Objectives: While substantial research has demonstrated the poor health status of homeless populations, the health status of vulnerably housed individuals is largely unknown. Furthermore, few longitudinal studies have assessed the impact of housing transitions on health. The health and housing in transition (HHiT) study is a prospective cohort study that aims to track the health and housing status of a representative sample of homeless and vulnerably housed single adults in three Canadian cities (Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver).

Invariance test of the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire: do women with breast cancer interpret this measure differently?

Purpose: To examine whether the meaning and interpretation of body image are similar for breast cancer survivors and women without breast cancer.

Method: Women completed the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire--Appearance Scales as part of two studies. There were 469 women with breast cancer and 385 women without breast cancer.

Using the Rey-Osterrieth and modified Taylor complex figures with older adults: a preliminary examination of accuracy score comparability.

Although considerable research has now shown that the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) and its original companion figure, the Taylor Complex Figure (TCF), are "not" comparable measures of visuospatial learning and memory, recent studies have provided evidence to suggest that the Modified TCF (MTCF) is a comparable measure to the ROCF. The primary aim of the present study was to examine the comparability of ROCF and MTCF accuracy scores with older adults using the traditional incidental learning procedure. A secondary aim was to examine whether performance on the two figures showed comparable gender effects and relationships with age and education.

Measurement invariance of the appearance schemas inventory-revised and the body image quality of life inventory across age and gender.

The majority of body image measures have largely been developed with younger female samples. Before these measures can be applied to men, and to middle-aged and older women, and used to make gender and age comparisons, they must exhibit adequate cross-group measurement invariance. This study examined the age and gender cross-group measurement invariance of the Appearance Schemas Inventory-Revised (ASI-R) and the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI), with a sample of 1,262 adults (422 men and 840 women) aged 18 to 98 years.

Injection Drug User Quality of Life Scale (IDUQOL): findings from a content validation study.

Background: Quality of life studies among injection drug users have primarily focused on health-related measures. The chaotic life-style of many injection drug users (IDUs), however, extends far beyond their health, and impacts upon social relationships, employment opportunities, housing, and day to day survival. Most current quality of life instruments do not capture the realities of people living with addictions.

Comparability of the Rey-Osterrieth and Modified Taylor Complex Figures using total scores, completion times, and construct validation.

The Modified Taylor Complex Figure (MTCF) was developed as an alternate form for the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) to assess visuospatial abilities. The present study examines the comparability of the figures by comparing (a) total scores and completion times on copy and recall trials using a repeated-measures design and an incidental administration procedure, and (b) the pattern of relationships between each of the figures and a number of demographic, convergent, and discriminant measures in a sample of community-dwelling adults. Overall, the study supports the use of the MTCF as a comparable measure of visuospatial memory and construction to the ROCF.

Injection Drug Use Quality of Life scale (IDUQOL): a validation study.

Background: Existing measures of injection drug users' quality of life have focused primarily on health and health-related factors. Clearly, however, quality of life among injection drug users is impacted by a range of unique cultural, socioeconomic, medical, and geographic factors that must also be considered in any measure. The Injection Drug User Quality of Life (IDUQOL) scale was designed to capture the unique and individual circumstances that determine quality of life among injection drug users.

Comparability of total score performance on the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure and a modified Taylor Complex Figure.

One of the most commonly used neuropsychological measures of visuo-spatial abilities is the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) Test. Previous research has reliably shown that its companion figure, the Taylor Complex Figure, is not a comparable measure of visuo-spatial memory. The aims of the three studies presented here are to (a) introduce a modified version of the Taylor Figure (MTCF), and (b) examine the comparability of the ROCF and the MTCF using two different administration procedures.