Global Climate Implications for Homelessness: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Homelessness is a persistent global challenge with significant health impacts on those affected. Homeless people are by definition the most exposed to weather conditions and the social and economic problems caused by extreme weather and climate change and variability. This systematic review was designed to synthesize the academic literature that addresses the health and social implications of global climate change for homelessness. The question examined in this systematic scoping review is the following: What is the current state of knowledge in the scientific literature on the health and social implications of global climate change for homelessness? A systematic scoping review method was used to identify and synthesize the peer-reviewed literature relevant to this question. The databases searched were PsycINFO, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Of the 26 papers identified in this review, 20 employed original data analyses with conclusions largely inferred from cross-sectional associations. Themes included the potential influence of climate change on homelessness prevalence, climate impacts that exacerbate specific vulnerabilities of homeless populations (e.g., chronic illness, exposure, stigmatization), and health and social outcomes. Service use and design implications were also addressed. Given the scale of the impacts of climate change on homelessness, the literature on this topic poses promising directions but is under-developed in its current state to adequately inform risk mitigation and response planning. A systems framework is proposed here to inform future research and service design.

How are cities planning for heat? Analysis of United States municipal plans

“…Future research should examine changes since 2020, strategies such as indoor cooling, and emergent strategies such as heatwave naming, ranking, or insurance. Addressing relationships between indoor and outdoor heat exposure and homeless and mobile home residents, is also needed (Kidd et al 2021, Phillips et al 2021. Expanding the study to other countries and multiple scales of governance is needed and qualitative analysis to contextualize findings.…”

Changement climatique et santé des populations : vers un agenda de recherche interdisciplinaire

“…Quant à des groupes de population spécifiques, des travaux s'intéressent par exemple aux risques que le changement climatique fait peser sur les personnes sans abri, qui sont plus exposées aux températures élevées lors de vagues de chaleur et aux événements climatiques extrêmes, et qui y sont également plus vulnérables du fait de pathologies chroniques fréquentes dans ces populations, de l'isolement social, d'un manque de moyens de mobilité, etc. [11]. Plus largement, des études mettent en évidence des effets plus forts des températures élevées sur la mortalité parmi les populations socialement défavorisées [12][13][14], même si certains travaux ont au contraire plutôt documenté une majoration de l'effet dans des groupes socialement avantagés [15,16].…”

Managing the unexpected: The role of homeless service providers during the 2017–2018 California wildfires

“…As novel threats, driven by climate change and an increasingly urbanized and globalized world, GPD organizations will increasingly need to prepare for and respond to emergent hazards, such as infectious diseases and pandemics such as COVID‐19. However, most HSOs are not hazard assessment experts; without external assistance, they may be unprepared for the “new normal” of emergencies and disasters they (Balbus & Crimmins, 2016), and their client population (Kidd et al, 2020) will face. Accordingly, the VA GPD program is collaborating with researchers at the Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center to develop technical assistance and training materials for GPD grantees to plan for these disasters.…”

“…People who are already homeless are typically the first and most severely impacted during disasters. They face disproportionate health risks due to lack of regular shelter and lack of access to information and resources to prepare for and respond to disasters (Every & Thompson, 2014;Gin et al, 2020;Kidd et al, 2020;Settembrino, 2017aSettembrino, , 2017bVickery, 2018Vickery, , 2019Walters & Gaillard, 2014;Wexler & Smith, 2015). Wildfires can present difficult recovery trajectories for people experiencing homelessness due to the enormous destruction of the existing housing stock, making it even more difficult for them to find housing, particularly in high-cost regions (Comerio, 1998;Settembrino, 2016).…”