Information and Communication Technologies Use By Homeless Individuals
Longevity for homeless individuals is attenuated by multiple factors including disabilities, insufficient or unavailable housing, and social alienation. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are widely recognized as tools fostering social connectivity, employment, and access to resources. Research on the digital divide suggests a gap in ICT use and access related to age, race, education and income. Studies examining the use of ICT among individuals experiencing homelessness vary in their outcomes; some report limited use and others report use comparable to the general population. Such research tends to focus on subpopulations within the greater homeless population, i.e. youth, or those with mental health or substance use disorders. The purpose of this study is to examine ICT use among a sample of the overall homeless population in southeastern metropolitan area. The two primary hypotheses of this study are 1) there is an inverse relationship between age and utilization of ICT and 2) the digital divide evident in general population will be present among homeless individuals. More specifically, homeless individuals of color, with less education, disabilities, and unemployed, will utilize ICT less.
Methods
Structured interviews were conducted at homeless service agencies and known homeless camps with 236 individuals. Nonprobability convenience sampling was utilized for this study. Interview content was collected via a secure online survey or with paper surveys. The survey instrument included demographics, physical health, mental health, and technology utilization, in addition to other data related to the experience of homelessness. Of all respondents 65% (n = 53) were male. The mean age of respondents was 43.92 (SD = 12.22). Twenty-six percent (n = 63) of respondents were non-white. The mean years of education was 11.13 (SD = 3.7). Sixteen percent were employed. ICT usage was measured by summing the frequency of ICT use across five areas of ICT, cell phones, email, the Internet, Facebook and other social media websites. Thirty-one percent of respondents used no form of ICT.
Results
Multiple regression analyses were used to examine each variable’s predictive relationship with ICT use among this sample of homeless individuals. The overall regression model was statistically significant (p < .002) and explained 12% of the variance of technology use. Controlling of other variables in the model, a one year increase in age was associated with a .12 point decrease in technology use. Drug addiction was associated with a -1.34 point decrease in technology use. Conversely, employment produced 2.74 point increase in ICT use. Years of education, racial minority status, chronic health problems, a history of mental health treatment, and self-reported alcoholism did not predict ICT usage.
Conclusions and Implications
As hypothesized, there was an inverse relationship between age and ICT usage by respondents. There was only partial support of the hypothesis of a digital divide. Younger, employed and non-drug addicted homeless individuals were more likely to use ICT than their peers. Interventions fostering increased ICT usage among homeless individuals can at least partially redress the economic, social, and informational poverty that are the unfortunate hallmarks of homelessness