Victimisation of individuals with serious mental illness living in sheltered housing: differential impact of risk factors related to clinical and demographic characteristics

Abstract

Background Sheltered housing is associated with quality-of-life improvements for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). However, there are equivocal findings around safety outcomes related to this type of living condition. Aims We aimed to investigate raw differences in prevalence and incidence of crime victimisation in sheltered housing compared with living alone or with family; and to identify groups at high risk for victimisation, using demographic and clinical factors. We do so by reporting estimated victimisation incidents for each risk group. Method A large, community-based, cross-sectional survey of 956 people with SMI completed the Dutch Crime and Victimisation Survey. Data was collected on victimisation prevalence and number of incidents in the past year. Results Victimisation prevalence was highest among residents in sheltered housing (50.8%) compared with persons living alone (43%) or with family (37.8%). We found that sheltered housing was associated with increased raw victimisation incidence (incidence rate ratio: 2.80, 95% CI 2.36–3.34 compared with living with family; 1.87, 95% CI 1.59–2.20 compared with living alone). Incidence was especially high for some high-risk groups, including men, people with comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and those with high levels of education. However, women reported less victimisation in sheltered housing than living alone or with family, if they also reported drug or alcohol use. Conclusions The high prevalence and incidence of victimisation among residents in sheltered housing highlights the need for more awareness and surveillance of victimisation in this population group, to better facilitate a recovery-enabling environment for residents with SMI.

Determinants of victimization in patients with severe mental illness: results from a nation-wide cross-sectional survey in the Netherlands

“…The elevated risk of shared sheltered housing, in contrast to single housing, remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographic and a variety of clinical characteristics, suggesting that mechanisms unique to those housing arrangements pose an independent risk for its inhabitants. The downsides of sheltered housing have been described before, however often in the context of qualitative studies (71)(72)(73)(74). We suggest the staff of sheltered housing to remain alert for crime incidents, monitoring both co-habitants as well as contact from the wider community.…”

“…Living in sheltered housing was found to be a potential risk factor especially for property crime victimization, impacting both prevalence and frequency rates. This is particularly poignant since sheltered living is supposed to protect and facilitate recovery of vulnerable patients (71). The elevated risk of shared sheltered housing, in contrast to single housing, remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographic and a variety of clinical characteristics, suggesting that mechanisms unique to those housing arrangements pose an independent risk for its inhabitants.…”

Childhood adversity, emergent psychopathology, and adolescent-to-parent violence: Process mining trajectories from police and health service administrative data

“…Research employing longitudinal and cross-sectional designs has reported associations between early life trauma, chronic health problems, and mental health disorders (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21). Exposure to four different types of adverse childhood events (ACE) is strongly associated with problematic poor mental health, drug use, and self-directed violence (22).…”