Towards an Inclusive Research Framework for People Experiencing Homelessness

Individuals experiencing homelessness face significant health inequalities. They are often met with stigma and exclusion in everyday life, including in health and social care settings. As a result of this marginalisation, homeless populations can be unfairly labelled as ‘hard to reach’ and misrepresented in research. Public health research increasingly aims to address health inequalities by engaging vulnerable and excluded groups in the research process. However, researchers lack specific guidance on navigating ethical and methodological issues when conducting research with the homeless community. This paper discusses practical barriers to including individuals experiencing homelessness in research. It then presents an emerging framework that discusses relevant literature, best practices from adapted frontline homelessness health and social care support, and perspectives from those with lived experiences of homelessness. We propose a flexible framework adaptable to different research methods and realistic conditions encountered when working with homeless participants. The framework employs a stepwise approach to research design, based on principles of equitable involvement, safeguarding vulnerable populations, and empowering those experiencing homelessness. Starting with research inputs, the framework recommends expert collaboration and contributions from individuals with lived experience. During the research, it suggests that researchers consider (1) practical exclusionary factors, (2) minimising distress and re-traumatisation risks, (3) open communication and rapport, (4) maintaining professional conduct, (5) strong community partnerships, (6) informed consent in context, (7) intersectionality and tailored approaches. It also encourages (10) community dissemination and (11) advocacy for individuals experiencing homelessness regarding research outputs. The framework highlights the ethical and methodological considerations researchers need to address when including individuals experiencing homelessness in their studies. It is a broadly accessible resource for qualitative researchers designing projects involving populations experiencing homelessness within health and social care research.