This study explores the characteristics, coping patterns, and personal
problems of 473 homeless women in 21 randomly selected rural
counties in Ohio. Most of the women were homeless without partners
and often attributed their homelessness to family conflict and economic hardships. Unlike homeless women in urban studies, the rural
women had low incidence of mental illness and substance abuse and
high levels of resourcefulness. Concerns about the impact of welfare
reform on rural women are discussed.
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