The purpose of this study was to examine older adults' experiences and perspectives regarding transportation mobility. Using a community-based participatory research approach, residents of Arlington, Texas, age 55 and older, participated in individual interviews (N = 15) or one of six focus groups (N = 45) as part of an overall study about ageing well in a large ethnically diverse city in the United States of America. Thematic analysis was conducted using inductive and deductive qualitative methods and social equity as a sensitising concept. Findings indicate that older adults who are transportation-disadvantaged experience limited access to health care, goods and services and are isolated from familiar lifestyle habits and social networks. Access to affordable, adequate transportation is compromised through social and political forces, which marginalise historically disadvantaged populations. Implications for cross-disciplinary practice and future research on sustainable transportation and policy development are discussed within a social justice and social equity framework.

This study applies an intersectional analysis to explore racial and gender differences in a widely used measure of vulnerability while homeless, the VI-SPDAT, among a large community sample. The study is particularly important given that vulnerability assessments are used to triage housing decisions for individuals experiencing homelessness. Based on the high risk for trauma among women lacking permanent shelter, and the fact that persons who are Black experience homelessness at a disproportionate rate, it was hypothesized that Black women would score most vulnerable. Data were analyzed using bivariate tests and a moderated path analysis. White women scored consistently higher on vulnerability compared to all men and Black women, despite both Black and White women reporting similarly higher odds of experiencing homelessness due to a history of trauma and abuse. Being homeless due to trauma and being White directly and significantly predicted higher vulnerability scores. Results suggest evidence of racial bias in the VI-SPDAT, which is particularly problematic for Black women, for whom potential measurement bias could mask the effects of trauma. In consequence, Black women experiencing homelessness may be at risk of receiving delayed housing within an already highly oppressed situation.

This article provides a historical and critical analysis of homelessness in the United States. It argues that societal understanding of homelessness stems from a process of social construction in which, over time, differing groups have framed the definition and debate. The main groups influencing interpretations of homelessness are those ascribing to individual and the structural interpretations of social problems. Individual interpretations suggest that homelessness is the result of personal deficiencies, such as substance abuse and social disaffiliation, whereas structural interpretations suggest that it is the result of systemic factors, such as lack of affordable housing and employment opportunities. Social construction has influenced scholarship as well by dictating which questions researchers ask and which evidence gets disseminated. The article concludes by encouraging scholars to reframe the policy debate in a way that more accurately reflects the empirical reality of homelessness.