Introduction
Homelessness is a sophisticated social issue with a range of fundamental social and financial factors, for example, lack of low-cost housing, poverty, addictions, uncertain psychological and physical health, and family and community breakdown. Homelessness is to reside without a shelter, although many encounter partial homelessness that may include sub-standard, temporary, or uncertain shelter (Mago et al., 2013). The essay explores homelessness in the United States (US) as a social issue with multiple contributing aspects, focusing on homeless veterans.
Factors That Cause Homeless Veterans in the US
Social Stratification
A homelessness problem is a societal failure to ensure that sufficient systems, support, and funding are established so that all citizens can access better housing. Currently, in the US, there are approximately 11% of homeless veterans among all adults (Stasha, 2022). Lack of affordable housing and inadequate income are the major contributors to homelessness among veterans. Most homeless veterans are single males coming from disadvantaged and poor communities.
The problem of homelessness among veterans surfaced after the Vietnam War. The economic challenges and lack of economic stability were among the key aspects that contributed to the explosion of the problem of homelessness in the post-Vietnam War era. Further, veterans from recent conflicts in Iraq, Grenada, Afghanistan, and Panama were also affected by the issue of homelessness (Hodgetts et al., 2012). The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notes that the majority of homeless veterans are males, while females are a small percentage.
Social Categories
Further, lack of support and social isolation factors have been noted to be the main risk factors among US veterans. It has been revealed that the two aspects enormously escalate the risk of veterans going homeless. Generally, veterans have high divorce and low marriage rates, with one out of five living single (Stasha, 2022). With improper social support after leaving the military, the danger of becoming homeless is high among veterans.
Additionally, veteran statistics show that substance abuse is a key aspect of homelessness. Most studies have highlighted substance abuse as one of the leading causes of homelessness among veterans (Rayburn, 2013). In addition, this is a strong predictor of future homelessness, as substance abuse comprises both drug abuse and alcohol abuse.
Moreover, mental disease is another major cause of despair among homeless veterans. A study on VA based on the mental health of veterans from 2012 showed that mental illnesses are typical among homeless vets. Mental disease is also a robust forecast of a veteran becoming homeless after leaving the military (Laubacher et al.,2023).
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been noted as the leading mental illness among US veterans, with anxiety being the next most common aspect. It is noted that 11 out 20 of 100 vets experience PTSD annually (Stasha, 2022). Mental disorders assume several forms and create many issues for vets. It may make it difficult for them to maintain a job, sustain a relationship with members of the family, and trust themselves, hence leading to homelessness.
Further, physical injuries have been associated with an increasing number of homeless veterans. When active service members go home wounded, their families always provide care. However, if the veterans have no families to live with when they are discharged from military healthcare facilities, getting a house and a job may be difficult. Physical injuries may comprise shrapnel, respiratory issues, spinal cord and brain injuries, and neurological and cardiac illnesses (Meyer et al.,2021). If left unattended to, and even when treated, the injuries may influence whether veterans get a job, keep a job, and have a home.
Power, Norms, and Values
The lack of affordable housing presents another key issue that leads to homelessness among veterans. The lack of low-cost houses is a key issue for everybody, not only veterans; nonetheless, it is a larger issue for the latter. Research has revealed that the lack of low-cost housing is the central aspect for homeless veterans, primarily for post -9/11 veterans (Stasha, 2022). The post-9/11 veterans are a group that most likely struggles to afford a house more than any other veteran group before them.
In addition, unemployment has been cited as a leading cause of the issue. Many veterans always have an issue getting a job because of the combination of aspects that can or cannot comprise physical or mental issues, and substance abuse (Hodgetts et al., 2012). Statistics reveal that unemployment stands as the main reason for homelessness and poverty in the United States.
Further, veteran homelessness may be considered a master status because it has more weight than other identities. Homelessness deprives people of the essential human experience of owning a home. Hence, in this perspective, it is a master status that directly influences veterans’ quality of life and lifestyle (Stasha, 2022). Homeless veterans in the US encounter severely restricted basic needs, for example, possession, privacy, safety, personal space control, and defensible spaces.
Conclusion
The veterans struggle to live after being discharged from the military. When mental disorders with physical harm and the lack of low-cost housing are combined, it becomes challenging for them to leave the streets. The only alternative for veterans is homelessness, if they cannot keep or get a job because of their injuries; their mental disorders have separated them from their family members, and they are without homes they can afford. Therefore, the lack of affordable housing, the lack of healthy support frameworks, and increasing poverty are the causes that lead to veterans being at high risk of becoming homeless.
References
Hodgetts, D., Stolte, O., Waimarie Nikora, L., & Groot, S. (2012). Drifting along or dropping into homelessness: A class analysis of responses to homelessness. Antipode, 44(4), 1209-1226. Web.
Laubacher, et al. (2023). An introduction to social science: Individuals, society, and culture. Constellation. Web.
Mago, V. K., Morden, H. K., Fritz, C., Wu, T., Namazi, S., Geranmayeh, P., Chattopadhyay, R., & Dabbaghian, V. (2013). Analyzing the impact of social factors on homelessness: A fuzzy cognitive map approach. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 13(1). Web.
Meyer, B.D., Wyse, A., Grunwaldt, A., Medalia, C., & Wu, D. (2021) Learning about homelessness survey and administrative data. Working Paper no. 2021-65. Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at UChicago. Web.
Rayburn, R. L. (2013). Understanding homelessness, mental health and substance abuse through a mixed-methods longitudinal approach. Health Sociology Review, 22(4), 389-399. Web.
Stasha, S. (2022). How many veterans are homeless in the US 2022? Web.