Use of information and communication technology among street drifters in Los Angeles

Abstract

We report a qualitative study of ICT (information and communication technology) use among a group of homeless people on Skid Row, Los Angeles. Participants in our ethnographic study frequently used mobile phones and computers, but not for the purposes documented in other studies such as managing friendships, enlisting family support, finding housing, and seeking employment. They were instead seeking respite to escape their stressful daily lives. We argue that urban communities should adopt a multi-agency approach and provide support centers offering homeless people access to computers and Wi-Fi. Increased access to ICT would both facilitate homeless people’s capability to cope with their difficult environment.

Use of Technology to Promote Health and Wellbeing of People Who Are Homeless: A Systematic Review

“…Social connectedness, evident in five studies, describes the potential of the mobile phone to maintain social connections [ 23 , 26 , 29 , 31 , 34 ]. Adkins et al [ 23 ] found that participants (homeless youth) predominantly used their phone for communication with friends and family via text and calls.…”

You got a hole in your belly and a phone in your hand: How US government phone subsidies shape the search for employment

“…contacting with social services, employers, etc.) (Gui et al, 2016). We do not dismiss those broader reasons for connection even as we focus on issues of unemployment.…”