Population Health Research
Credit: COVID-19 Homelessness Research Project Co-researcher.
Impact of COVID-19 on People Experiencing Homelessness
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Cottage Center for Population Health and Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation, also known as SB ACT, led a collaborative research study in mid-2020 to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people experiencing homelessness in the southern portion of Santa Barbara County. Individuals experiencing homelessness joined the research team as co-researchers and shared their experiences during the early days of the pandemic.
Co-researchers were asked to take pictures reflecting their thoughts and feelings in response to the following prompt: “What do we want those in power to know about us and our everyday struggles with homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic?”
Through focus group discussions, co-researchers shared thoughts and experiences on exacerbated daily challenges, contradicting policies, and increased marginalization. For example, people experiencing homelessness were encouraged to increase personal sanitation, while the public facilities they needed to maintain personal hygiene were closed.
Co-researchers also emphasized the importance of people experiencing homelessness having a voice in making decisions affecting them. They encouraged the community to work together to leverage progress made during the pandemic response, and to build positive relationships that will help prevent stigma in decision-making during times of crisis.
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For more information, contact: listenpophealth@sbch.org.
