Unemployment, family conflicts affect homeless population
A study conducted by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea) indicates that family conflicts and unemployment are the main reasons leading people to live on the streets. The results, released this week, take into account data from the Federal Government's Single Registry for Social Programs (CadÚnico).
According to this registry, 227,000 people were officially registered as homeless in August 2023. However, Ipea warns that this figure cannot be considered an official census due to the difficulties involved in carrying out a faithful survey of all those who are part of this most vulnerable group.
So, considering the individual reasons for homelessness, in addition to problems with family and partners (47.3%), and unemployment (40.5%), alcoholism and other drugs (30.4%), loss of housing (26.1%), threats and violence (4.8%), distance from work (4.2%), health treatment (3.1%), preference or own choice (2.9%) and other issues (11.2%) were also cited. As a person may have given more than one reason, the percentages add up to more than 100 percent.
When thought of in broader categories, Ipea explains that the causes can be organized into three dimensions: economic exclusion, which involves food insecurity, unemployment, and housing shortages; weakened or broken social ties, family and community ties, through which these people might be able to find shelter in difficult situations; and health problems, mainly those related to mental problems.
The three dimensions are not mutually exclusive, and it is common for them to manifest at the same time. Half of those who claimed health-related motivations also pointed to family conflicts for homelessness and 44 percent added economic causes. Among those who had family problems, 42 percent also suffered from economic issues and 34 percent reported health reasons.
Length of time on the streets
Family issues and health reasons, especially alcohol and other drug abuse, contribute to a prolonged situation. Economic reasons typically result in a short-term street situation. As a whole, 33.7 percent were in this condition for up to 6 months, 14.2 percent between 6 months and 1 year, 13 percent between 1 and 2 years, 16.6 percent between 2 and 5 years, 10.8 percent between 5 and 10 years, and 11.7 percent for more than 10 years.
Racial, geographical, and general data
The majority of those living on the streets (68%) declared themselves to be black. Whites accounted for 31.1 percent. The average number of years of schooling among blacks (6.7 years) was lower than among whites (7.4 years). Women made up only 11.6 percent of the adult population in this situation.
Around 70 percent lived in the same state where they were born. And 24 percent did not have a birth certificate. Among adults, 29 percent did not have a voter registration card and 24 percent did not have an employment booklet, which makes it possible for a person to work in the country's formal market. Only 58 percent of children and adolescents aged 7 to 15 attended school. And 69 percent of the adult population did something to earn money, but only 1 percent had a formal job.
Those who slept on the street with some frequency were 58 percent. A third slept in hostels. Just over 3 percent used to sleep in private homes, and 12 percent in other spaces that don't fit in with the above.
Public policies
Ipea clarifies that the study is designed to enhance public policies targeting the homeless population. Therefore, it is crucial for the text to offer a diagnostic overview of the situation, encompassing key aspects like the duration spent on the streets, migration patterns, areas of movement and residence, and family connections.
