Experiences of homelessness by people seeking asylum in Australia: A review of published and “grey” literature

Abstract

This review examines the current published and "grey" literature relating to the experiences of homelessness by people seeking asylum within Australia. While many people seeking asylum have experienced homelessness during their flight, inadequate and unaffordable housing are a feature of the settlement experience for a large number of new arrivals to Australia, putting at risk their successful settlement. This study aims to explore the factors influencing access to stable housing. A systematic review of the academic literature and a search of the grey literature identified 11 articles and 20 documents related to homelessness and people seeking asylum in Australia. The academic literature included a variety of methods and approaches to the investigation of the experience of homelessness in Australia. The grey literature was more practice based, including evaluation and research reports, submissions, and newsletters. Findings suggest that experiences of homelessness are multifaceted and have a range of influences, including policy, financial stress, lack ofaccess to education and employment, and a lack of affordable and suitable housing. Any solutions to address homelessness need to be similarly diverse. Discrimination from real estate agents and employers was also identified as a barrier to housing for many people seeking asylum, an issue that will need to be addressed at a systematic level. The lack of research published in the academic literature means that although there may be some programmes or solutions

Public Health Interventions to Address Housing and Mental Health amongst Migrants from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds Living in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

“…People from CaLD backgrounds experience unique and complex factors concerning vulnerability to homelessness and mental health [ 23 , 27 , 32 ]. Comprehensive public health approaches to housing and homelessness that address the social determinants of health are required [ 43 ]; however, there is a lack of evidence about effective interventions for homelessness and housing for people from CaLD background in Australia [ 23 ], including migrants. This scoping review explored the literature regarding public health approaches to housing, mental health, and migration.…”

“…There are practical and policy implications for public health regarding applying research findings and identifying and addressing the needs of migrants from CaLD backgrounds. Addressing this lack of consistency in reporting is critical [ 23 , 27 , 32 ]. There are tensions in the literature regarding indicators of race, culture, and ethnicity; uses of which have been criticized for reifying differences in health outcomes experienced between groups [ 107 ] (Brady, 2012).…”

“…Factors relating to housing security, such as homelessness, affordability, availability, and condition, affect physical and mental health outcomes [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Post-migration factors such as language barriers, employment difficulties, lack of income, lack of academic recognition or opportunities, and experiences of racism and discrimination [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 23 ] can increase the risk of mental health challenges and housing stress. Cultural expectations, sustained impacts of trauma, and marginalization can also exacerbate the risks of homelessness [ 6 , 9 , 14 , 24 ].…”

“…Despite these statistics, there is a lack of published research addressing effective interventions for homelessness and housing [ 23 ] and people from CaLD backgrounds are noticeably absent in strategies and frameworks to address housing and mental health [ 28 , 29 ]. Further, intervention and service evaluation indicate they may not meet the needs of refugees and migrants [ 7 , 14 , 30 ].…”