printPrevalence of Homelessness in Russia:
an Assessment Based on a Retrospective Survey
Tsatsura E.A.
Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), Senior Researcher, Centre ”Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting“IPEI, RANEPA, Moscow, Russia. tsatsura-ea@ranepa.ru
Osavolyuk A.A.
Junior Researcher, Centre ”Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting“ IPEI, RANEPA, Moscow, Russia. osavolyuk-aa@ranepa.ru
The work was carried out within the framework of the State Assignment of RANEPA.
Tsatsura E.A., Osavolyuk A.A. Prevalence of Homelessness in Russia: an Assessment Based on a Retrospective Survey. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2024. No 3. P. 83-93
This paper assesses the prevalence of street and hidden homelessness in Russia. Based on the representative survey “Person, Family, Society – 2023” (N = 9508 people) it was revealed that 4.6% of the adult population had experienced street homelessness, while 13.5% had faced hidden homelessness. 4.8% of respondents reported about suffering from homelessness for more than 1 year, including 2.5% with experience of more than 3 years of homelessness. Street homelessness problem is primarily for males, however the prevalence of hidden homelessness is high among women too. Factors such as male gender, low median income, and smoking increase the likelihood of homelessness in the past 10 years, while marriage, higher education, and children under the age of 18 in the household decrease this likelihood. Federal district of residence and type of settlement are not correlated with the experience of homelessness. Frequent alcohol consumption significantly increases the likelihood of street homelessness. Those who have experienced homelessness have unstable housing conditions with the expectation of ones future deterioration. They are more likely to live in communal apartments, hostels, and rented housing. The experience of homelessness is associated with lack of housing owned by the person. The experience of homelessness is closely related to feelings of loneliness and conflicts in the family. Homelessness is correlated with life dissatisfaction. Compared to several countries (Australia, Canada, European countries), Russia has a higher life-time prevalence of homelessness and longer average duration of homelessness. All this emphasizes the importance of housing market policies development and social protection of people vulnerable to homelessness.
Коваленко Е.А. Воронка бездомности и ограничение потенциальных возможностей // Журнал исследований социальной политики. 2011. № 4. С. 519–536. [Kovalenko E.A. (2011) The homelessness funnel and the limitation of potential opportunities. Zhurnal issledovanij social’noj politiki [The Journal of Social Policy Studies]. No. 4: 519–536. (In Russ.)]
Кузинер Е.Н. «Пойду домой, домой это значит в подвал»: повседневные практики и стратегии выживания бездомных женщин // Мониторинг общественного мнения: экономические и социальные перемены. 2020. № 4. С. 273–298. [Kuziner E.N. (2020) ‘I will go home’, with ‘home’ meaning ‘basement’: homeless women’s daily practices and coping strategies. Monitoring obshchestvennogo mneniya: ekonomicheskie i social’nye peremeny [Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes]. No. 4: 273–298. (In Russ.)]
Орешина Д., Елагина В., Врублевская П., Крихтова Т. Бездомные российского мегаполиса: социальнодемографический портрет, каналы попадания на улицу и отношение к помощи благотворительных организаций: аналитический отчет по результатам анкетирования посетителей Ангара спасения. 2019. URL: http://socrel.pstgu.ru/grants/homeless (дата обращения: 10.01.2024). [Oreshina D., Elagian V., Vrublevskya P., Krihtova T. (2019) Homeless people of the Russian megacity: socio-demographic portrait, channels of getting on the street and attitude to the help of charitable organizations: an analytical report based on the results of the questionnaire survey of visitors to Angara Salvation. (In Russ.)]
Цацура Е.А. Социальное исключение в государственной системе работы с бездомными людьми // Отечественный журнал социальной работы. 2014. № 3(58). С. 162–175. [Tsatsura E.A. (2014) Social exclusion in the Russian state system of tackling homelessness. Otechestvennyj zhurnal social’noj raboty [Domestic Journal of Social Work]. No. 3(58): 162–175. (In Russ.)]
Цацура Е.А., Клюева Н.Ю. Социально-демографические характеристики, условия жизни и потребности людей в ситуации бездомности в Москве // Мониторинг общественного мнения: экономические и социальные перемены. 2022. № 2. С. 409–429. [Tsatsura E.A., Klueva N. Yu. (2022) Sociodemographic characteristics, living conditions, and needs of homeless people in Moscow. Monitoring obshchestvennogo mneniya: ekonomicheskie i social’nye peremeny [Monitoring of Public Opinion: Economic and Social Changes]. No. 2: 409–429. (In Russ.)]
Amore K., Baker M., Howden-Chapman P. (2011) The ETHOS Definition and Classification of Homelessness: An Analysis. European Journal of Homelessness. Vol. 5. No. 2: 19–37.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014) General Social Survey: summary results. URL: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/general-social-survey-summary-results-australia/2014 (accessed 02.03.2023).
Bramley G., Fitzpatrick S. (2018) Homelessness in the UK: Who is Most at Risk? Housing Studies. Vol. 33. No. 1: 96–116.
Bretherton J. (2017) Homelessness and Gender Reconsidered. European Journal of Homelessness. Vol. 11. No. 1: 1–22.
Brousse C. (2004) The production of data on homelessness and housing deprivation in the European Union: survey and proposals. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
Burt M.R. (2001) Homeless Families, Singles, and Others: Findings from the 1996 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients. Housing Policy Debate. Vol. 12. No. 4: 737–780.\
Chamberlain C., Johnson G. (2015) How many Australians have slept rough? The Australian journal of social issues. Vol. 50. No. 4: 439–456.
Coumans A.M. et al. (2017) Estimating Homelessness in the Netherlands Using a Capture-Recapture Approach. Social Indicators Research. Vol. 130. No. 1: 189–212.
Develtere P. (2022) Data collection systems and homelessness in the EU – an overview. European Journal of Homelessness. Vol. 16. No. 2: 233–254.
Dionne M-A., Laporte C., Loeppky J., Miller A. (2023) A review of Canadian homelessness data. URL: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75f0002m/75f0002m2023004-eng.htm (accessed 02.03.2023).
Fitzpatrick S., Kemp P.A., Klinker S. (2000) Single Homelessness: An Overview of Research in Britain. Bristol: Policy Press.
Fusaro V., Levy H., Shaefer H. (2018) Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Lifetime Prevalence of Homelessness in the United States. Demography. Vol. 55. No. 6: 2119–2128.
Link B., Phelan J., Bresnahan M. et al. (1995) Lifetime and 5-year prevalence of homelessness in the United States – new evidence on an old debate. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. Vol. 65. No. 3: 347–354.
Meyer B.D., Wyse A.T., Grunwaldt A. et al. (2021) Learning about Homelessness Using Linked Survey and Administrative Data. Working Paper Nо. 2021–65.
O’Donnell J. (2020) How many people experience homelessness in Australia? N-IUSSP. URL: https://www.niussp.org/health-and-mortality/how-many-people-experience-homelessness-in-australia/ (accessed 10.02.2023).
O’Donnell J. (2021) Does social housing reduce homelessness? A multistate analysis of housing and homelessness pathways. Housing Studies. Vol. 36. No. 10: 1702–1728.
Pickering K., Fitzpatrick S., Hinds K. et al. (2003) Tracking Homelessness: A Feasibility Study. Scottish Executive.
Pleace N. (2016) Exclusion by Definition: The Under-Representation of Women in European Homelessness Statistics. In: Mayock P., Bretherton J. (eds) Women’s Homelessness in Europe. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Pleace N., Hermans K. (2020) Counting All Homelessness in Europe: The Case for Ending Separate Enumeration of ‘Hidden Homelessness’. European Journal of Homelessness. Vol. 14. No. 3: 35–62.
Taylor O., Loubiere S., Tinland A. et al. (2019) Lifetime, 5-year and past-year prevalence of homelessness in Europe: a cross-national survey in eight European nations. BMJ Open. Vol. 9. No. 11: 1–13.
Tompsett C.J., Toro P.A., Guzicki M., Manrique M., Zatakia J. (2006) Homelessness in the United States: Assessing changes in prevalence and public opinion, 1993–2001. American Journal of Community Psychology. Vol. 37. No. 1–2: 47–61.
Toro P. Tompsett C.J., Lombardo S. et al. (2007) Homelessness in Europe and the United States: A Comparison of Prevalence and Public Opinion. Journal of Social Issues. Vol. 63. No. 3: 505–524.
Tsai J. (2018) Lifetime and 1-year prevalence of homelessness in the US population: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. Journal of Public Health. Vol. 40. No. 1: 65–74.