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The social organization of structural vulnerability among people who are homeless and use drugs: an institutional ethnography.

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Title: The social organization of structural vulnerability among people who are homeless and use drugs: an institutional ethnography.
Authors: Nichols, Naomi (AUTHOR), Blondeau, Samantha (AUTHOR)
Source: Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy. Dec2025, Vol. 32 Issue 6, p584-595. 12p.
Subjects: Housing laws, Health services accessibility, Government policy, Social determinants of health, Research funding, Social workers, Social justice, Health status indicators, Interviewing, Ethnology research, Nonbinary people, Psychology of drug abusers, Surveys, Harm reduction, Homeless persons, Cisgender people, Social support, Psychosocial factors, Psychological vulnerability, Local government
Geographic Terms: Canada
Abstract: Background: In this article, we describe an institutional ethnographic investigation of the housing and homelessness response in one municipality in Ontario, Canada. Methods: Drawing on 42 interviews with social service professionals and municipal government employees and 49 interviews with people who are or have been using municipal housing and homeless services (e.g. emergency shelters, mobile healthcare, outreach services, transitional housing), we bring into view some of the inter-institutional and organizational processes that shape housing precarity among people who use drugs. Results: Our research pinpoints specific institutionally-organized processes – i.e. structural vulnerabilities – that expose people who use drugs to housing loss, unsheltered homelessness, and difficulties in re-housing (or homeless chronicity). In many cases, the processes also make people more vulnerable to harms associated with substance use. Conclusion: The specificity of our analysis points toward policy, legislative and institutional reforms that could improve access to justice, health, and housing for people who use drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: The social organization of structural vulnerability among people who are homeless and use drugs: an institutional ethnography.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Drugs%3A+Education%2C+Prevention+%26+Policy%22">Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 32 Issue 6, p584-595. 12p.
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  Data: Background: In this article, we describe an institutional ethnographic investigation of the housing and homelessness response in one municipality in Ontario, Canada. Methods: Drawing on 42 interviews with social service professionals and municipal government employees and 49 interviews with people who are or have been using municipal housing and homeless services (e.g. emergency shelters, mobile healthcare, outreach services, transitional housing), we bring into view some of the inter-institutional and organizational processes that shape housing precarity among people who use drugs. Results: Our research pinpoints specific institutionally-organized processes – i.e. structural vulnerabilities – that expose people who use drugs to housing loss, unsheltered homelessness, and difficulties in re-housing (or homeless chronicity). In many cases, the processes also make people more vulnerable to harms associated with substance use. Conclusion: The specificity of our analysis points toward policy, legislative and institutional reforms that could improve access to justice, health, and housing for people who use drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09687637.2025.2461006
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 584
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Housing laws
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health services accessibility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Government policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social determinants of health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social workers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social justice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health status indicators
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ethnology research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nonbinary people
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of drug abusers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Surveys
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Harm reduction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Homeless persons
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cisgender people
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social support
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological vulnerability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Local government
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Canada
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The social organization of structural vulnerability among people who are homeless and use drugs: an institutional ethnography.
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            NameFull: Nichols, Naomi
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            NameFull: Blondeau, Samantha
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            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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