Homelessness in Denmark 2007 - National mapping

This study is a national survey of homeless persons in Denmark. The study was carried out by The Danish National Centre for Social Research on behalf of The Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration. The survey is based on the same method as similar studies conducted in Norway and Sweden. The survey was conducted in week 6, 2007. All authorities and social services where asked to fill out a questionnaire for every homeless person they had contact with or knowledge of, during the research week. In order to avoid registering the same person more than once, initials and social security numbers were recorded when possible. The study employed an operational definition of homelessness based on seven different types of situations e.g. if the person sleep on the streets, stays at a shelter or temporarily sleeping in dwellings of friends or family members. Furthermore the survey includes a number of background variables: Sex, age, children, ethnicity, income, illnesses, substance abuse, causes and what kind of help they are offered. Analyses of the extent of homelessness in Denmark are carried out on the basis of the information obtained through the questionnaire. Furthermore it is examined what characterize the homeless as a group.