NCT03580915

Effectiveness of a Functional Literacy Program for Formerly Homeless Adults

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 23 (actual)
• Sponsor: Columbia University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess a functional literacy program for formerly homeless adults now residing in supported housing who have difficulty performing daily life skills requiring functional literacy (e.g., bill paying, medication management, community transportation) needed to maintain housing placements. The hypothesis is that intervention group participants will improve in functional literacy compared to the control group that does not receive the intervention.

Detailed description

Sixty-five percent of homeless adults are reported to be illiterate or marginally literate. The lack of literacy in a high technological society negatively impacts this population's ability to participate in daily life activities including finding and maintaining employment, renting and maintaining an apartment, seeking health care, using public transportation, and managing finances. Poor literacy marginalizes this population from societal participation and maintains this group in a state of lack and deficiency. A literacy program will be delivered to participants who are formerly homeless and now residing in supported shelter. Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention (n=20) or control (n=20) group. The intervention group will receive the functional literacy intervention over 8 weeks, twice weekly. Intervention sessions will allow participants to learn literacy skills within the context of real-life daily activities like grocery shopping, preparing a meal, and purchasing subway cards. Control group participants will not receive intervention.

Conditions

• Literacy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Functional Literacy Program	The intervention will be provided twice weekly in 2-hour sessions, over 8 weeks. The 16 intervention sessions will provide the opportunity for participants to learn functional literacy skills to (1) manage an apartment, (2) access community resources, (3) manage finances, (4) access free recreational activities. All sessions will address literacy skills needed to complete basic daily life activities in the home and community environments. Literacy skills will first be learned and practiced within the supported shelter, and then extended to the community.
BEHAVIORAL	Usual Care Management Services	The control group will receive the usual housing services without additional intervention.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-09-24
• Primary completion: 2018-11-20
• Completion: 2018-12-28
• First posted: 2018-07-10
• Last updated: 2019-01-15

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States