This is a past event
From substance use to homelessness (joint with Duncan McVicar and Julie Moschion)
We investigate the relationship between homelessness and substance use. We use a unique Australian panel dataset in which information about homelessness and substance use is collected in 4 subsequent waves over a timespan of two years. The data allow us to investigate dynamics in homelessness and dynamics in substance use. We investigate whether substance use precedes homelessness but we also study whether homelessness precedes substance use. We find that homelessness and substance use are closely related. Homeless individuals are more likely to be substance users and substance users are more likely to be homeless. To some extent this relationship is driven by unobserved personal characteristics which cause individuals to be both more likely to be homeless and substance user. Once we take these unobserved personal characteristics into account it seems that homelessness does not affect substance use. However, we do find that substance use, in particular risky alcohol use, increases the probability that an individual becomes homeless.
- Speaker
- Prof. Jan van Ours (University of Tillburg)
- Hosted by
- Dr Yu Aoki and Dr Shelley Farrar
- Venue
- McRobert building, Room MR051, Refreshments will be served from 15.15