Returning to the social world: A grounded theory study of the self-reliance experiences of the homeless persons in South Korea

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Hyun M, Kim J, Park E, Son J

Ajou University, South Korea

 Chungnam National University, South Korea

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

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Being a homeless person is a traumatic, disempowering, and impoverishing event. Homeless persons suffer from social deprivation and disadvantage. Although the South Korean government have supported the homeless economically, the numbers of homeless people who cannot return to the society are increasing. The purpose of the study was to explore the self-reliance process of homeless persons. Using a grounded theory approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who returned to the society from the homelessness in South Korea. Data were collected from September, 18 to October, 30. Being thrown away from the social world was the basic social problem that the participants suffer during the homelessness. Returning to the social world was the basic social process that emerges as a core category. The process was further divided into four phases: 1) living on the street; 2) living in a permanent dwelling; 3) connecting with the society; and 4) becoming an ordinary person in the social world. They employed various strategies to maintain self-reliance status. This study can suggest the holistic understanding on the process of self-reliance in homeless persons. This study can also provide the direction for developing the intervention for self-reliance of the homeless persons. Healthcare providers are supposed to consider the practical needs of homeless persons on the client’s views.

Biography

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Myung Sun Hyun has completed her PhD at the age of 36 years from Yousei and Postdoctoral Studies from College of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco in USA. Now, she is working as a professor and Director of College of Nursing, Ajou University in South Korea. She has published more than 40 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute. *This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2017R1D1A1B03035815). mhyun@ajou.ac.kr