Background. Boredom has been reported as a frequent problem experienced by homeless persons, with implications for mental and social well-being. Purpose. This study aimed to explore the nature and impact of boredom in the lives of homeless and formerly homeless persons. Method. A mixed-methods design was used to engage 13 participants in a structured 92-item quantitative interview using six standardized measures, followed by a semistructured qualitative interview. Correlational analyses were performed with the data compiled from the quantitative interviews, and grounded theory strategies were used to analyze our qualitative data. The two analyses were integrated at the stage of interpretation. Findings. Boredom was described as a profound and pervasive experience for homeless persons, imposing deleterious impacts on mental well-being and driving substance use. A strong positive correlation between meaningful activity and mental well-being (r s ¼ .767, p <. 01) and a strong negative correlation between boredom and belonging in one's community (r s ¼-.771, p < .01) were identified. Implications. Boredom is a critical topic of study for occupational therapy in the area of homelessness. Future research is needed to design and test interventions to optimize the mental well-being, participation, and social connectedness of this population. Abré gé Description. L'ennui a été décrit comme un problème vécu fréquemment par les personnes sans-abri et entraînant des conséquences pour le bien-être mental et social. But. Cette étude visait à explorer la nature et l'impact de l'ennui sur la vie de personnes sans-abri et anciennement sans-abri. Méthodologie. Un devis à méthodologie mixte a été utilisé pour faire participer 13 sujets à un entretien structuré comportant 92 questions quantitatives basées sur six mesures normatives, suivi d'un entretien qualitatif semi-structuré. Des analyses corrélationnelles ont été effectuées avec les données compilées à partir des entretiens quantitatifs, et des stratégies de théorisation ancrée ont été utilisées pour les données qualitatives. Les deux analyses ont été intégrées à l'étape de l'interprétation. Résultats. L'ennui a été décrit comme une expérience profonde et répandue chez les personnes sans-abri, qui entraîne des effets néfastes pour le bien-être mental, de même que l'usage de substances psychoactives. Une forte corrélation positive a été observée entre les activités signifiantes et le bien-être mental [r s ¼ 0,767, p <0, 01], et une forte corrélation négative a été observée entre l'ennui et le sentiment d'appartenance à la communauté [r s ¼-0,771, p < 0,01]. Conséquences. L'ennui est un sujet d'étude important en ergothérapie dans le domaine de l'itinérance. D'autres recherches devront être menées pour concevoir et tester des interventions visant à optimiser le bien-être mental, la participation et l'appartenance sociale de cette clientèle.

Community integration (CI) has been identified as a key outcome of programs designed to improve the lives of homeless and recently housed individuals (Gaetz, The State of Homelessness in Canada 2016, 2016). Although researchers have explored the extent to which Housing First (HF) impacts on social integration (Quilgars & Pleace, Soc. Incl., 4, 2016), little is known about the range and effectiveness of other interventions on CI more broadly. We conducted a systematic review of experimental studies using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. Our search strategy was deployed in six databases: EMBASE,

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Occupational therapists can build environments and create opportunities that facilitate occupational engagement of individuals experiencing homelessness. Gaps in knowledge include the evaluation of occupational therapy practices, the Canadian context of family homelessness, and the cultural safety of occupational therapy interventions.

A large-scale malaria intervention programme using insecticide-treated bed nets and chemoprophylaxis administered to children was introduced into a rural area of The Gambia. The operation was carried out using the existing primary health care (PHC) service in the region. Training of the village health workers, sensitization of the communities, and implementation of net impregnation and the drug delivery programme are described. This delivery system resulted in over 90% of nets being treated with insecticide and 80% of children receiving over 90% of their tablets during the rainy season. There was considerable variation in the distribution of permethrin on a bed net and between individual nets, which is likely to facilitate the spread of insecticide resistance in the local mosquito populations. Bed nets made from heavier fabrics tended to absorb more insecticide than those made from lighter materials. Four months after dipping, 89% of the insecticide had been lost from treated nets. This was probably due mainly to women washing their nets, an activity carried out on average once every 2 months during the rainy season. The high number of insecticide-treated bed nets in the study area demonstrated that a malaria control programme operated through a PHC system can be implemented successfully.