Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Endnotes
7 The surveys examined in this chapter were identified using a variety of sources. In addition to the surveys identified and examined in Chapter 2 and recommendations made by members of an Expert Panel brought together in July 2005 [see Chapter 3 ], surveys were identified through various web searches. Summaries and lists of databases, such as
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Proposed Housing Questions
As noted in Chapter 2 , existing studies, including the NLS and ACS, do not provide enough information to identify families that are currently or have recently been homeless. The major enhancements that these surveys need include adding questions and/or adding response categories that make it possible to identify homeless families.
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Studies that Met Primary Selection Criteria
National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth 1979. The NLSY79 is a series of surveys with a nationally representative sample of 12,686 young men and women who were between the ages of 14 and 22 in 1979. Annual interviews were conducted from 1979 until 1994; since then, respondents have been interviewed every other year (1996, 1998, etc.).
Respondent
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Studies Unable to Examine Subpopulations or Regional/State Differences
Two longitudinal studies, the SIPP and the PSID, that in many respects appeared to be good candidates for enhancement, were eventually considered to have samples that were too small to provide reliable estimates of recently homeless or residentially unstable families.
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Study Design and Structure Likely to Exclude Recent Homeless Families or Residentially Unstable Families
The MEPS was not considered a good candidate for enhancement because it uses a sample design that appears to make it more difficult to include recently homeless families as well as families that are currently at risk of being homeless. While most of the longitudinal studies use some sort of national area probability sample to select their responde
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Studies No Longer Being Conducted
Two of the longitudinal studies described in Table 4-3 were not considered appropriate candidates for enhancement, either because they have just finished or will soon end data collection. These include both the kindergarten and birth cohort samples of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) and the National Survey of Child and Adolescent W
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Review of Longitudinal Studies
In addition to the cross-sectional surveys, there are several longitudinal studies that track the same person, family, or household over time. Because of the challenges and costs involved in tracking respondents, these surveys typically involve much smaller samples than cross-sectional studies and are often much more focused on specific population
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Studies that Met Primary Selection Criteria
As noted earlier, only two studies meet all four of the primary selection criteria: the Current Population Survey and the American Community Survey.
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Studies Unable to Examine Subpopulations or Regional/State Differences
The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) uses a national area probability sample; collects information on health, illness, and disability that could be usefully examined in relationship to literal and at-risk homelessness; and regularly includes supplemental questions. The major challenge with the NHIS is its sample size.
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Family Data Not Collected
Two studies, the National Health and Nutrition Exam (NHANES) and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), were dropped from consideration because both collect data mainly on a specific individual rather than a family or household. This is a particularly unfortunate feature, since the NSDUH annually collects data on a large number of peo
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Study Design and Structure Likely to Exclude Recent Homeless or Residentially Unstable Families
Three studies-the National Immunization Survey (NIS), National Household Education Survey (NHES), and American Housing Survey (AHS)-are not good candidates for enhancement because they use sample designs and/or data collection methods that are likely to exclude current and recently homeless families, as well as families that are currently resident
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Studies No Longer Being Conducted
The National Survey of America's Families was eliminated from further consideration as there are no current plans for extending its data collection to a fourth cohort of respondents. It has a number of features that would have made it a good candidate for enhancement, including an oversampling of poorer neighborhoods, relatively large samples, and
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Review of Cross-Sectional Surveys
The national cross-sectional surveys currently in operation are designed to provide current information on various topics (e.g., the percentage of the population currently working, health status of people, or the extent of illegal substance abuse). These surveys typically collect information on a large number of people in order to be able to provi
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Overview of National Survey Efforts
A number of national surveys are regularly conducted to address a myriad of information needs.
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Introduction
As noted in previous chapters, the current literature provides an extensive understanding of the characteristics and service needs of currently homeless families, yet there remain substantial knowledge gaps that make it difficult to develop an accurate and useful typology of homeless families. These gaps include the following:
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Endnotes
1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For the purposes of some Federal definitions, being doubled up is considered homelessness whereas in other programs it is not.
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Directing Future Research
As noted, several suggestions on how the Fragile Families data set could be used for future research include looking more closely at geographic differences, as well as taking advantage of the next wave of surveys. More broadly, this reanalysis has shown the utility of looking at a broader range of families that may be at risk of becoming homeless.
Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Guiding the Typology Development
The relatively poor fit of the logistic regression models, examining both homelessness and residential stability, limits how much guidance this reanalysis of the Fragile Families database can provide for developing a typology of homeless families. The results do suggest that mental health and substance use issues (and to a lesser degree, domestic
