Course Syllabus

Research Project Description

Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) is a growing concern in many high-income countries, including Denmark, and is often accompanied by serious mental health challenges and high-risk substance use, resulting in a “triple diagnosis.” These challenges can disrupt education, employment, and social relationships, increasing the risk of long-term marginalization, poor health, and continued housing instability. Improving how health and social services identify and support these young people is therefore a critical public health priority.

In Denmark, street nurses play a central role in reaching YEH, who are often excluded from mainstream society and healthcare. By building trust-based, non-judgmental relationships, they support young people in navigating health needs, daily challenges, and broader social barriers. Despite the complexity and importance of this work, relatively little research has examined the everyday practices of street nurses or how screening for mental health and substance use can be adapted to the lived realities of YEH.

This two-part research project investigates the complex work of street nursing YEH in Copenhagen and aims to develop a practical screening tool to support the identification of mental health conditions, substance use, and broader needs among YEH or youth at risk of homelessness. Research Assistants (RAs) will engage in qualitative, community-based research and work closely with street nurses and outreach services.

In the first phase, RAs will explore the profession of street nursing through observations, shadowing, and semi-structured interviews with street nurses and key collaborators, such as healthcare professionals, municipal staff, and community partners. This phase focuses on understanding daily practices, professional values, challenges, and inter-agency collaboration in outreach healthcare.

In the second phase, RAs will contribute to the development of a screening tool designed for use in street-based settings. This will involve reviewing existing assessment tools, integrating insights from fieldwork and interviews, and collaborating with practitioners to identify key indicators of mental health and substance use risk. The tool will be informally tested and refined based on feedback from street nurses and youth.

Through this project, RAs will gain hands-on experience with qualitative research methods, ethical fieldwork with vulnerable populations, applied public health research, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The best-suited RAs will be those who approach the work with empathy, openness, and respect for young people experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges, and of the expertise of street nurses. This research is not solely an academic endeavor but an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the field.

The challenge of “Triple Diagnosis”: Screening and treatment of youth with dual diagnosis experiencing homelessness in Denmark.

References and Further Reading

– Dawson-Rose, C., Shehadeh, D., Hao, J., Barnard, J., Khoddam-Khorasani, L. L., Leonard, A., Clark, K., Kersey, E., Mousseau, H., Frank, J., Miller, A., Carrico, A., Schustack, A., & Cuca, Y. P. (2020). Trauma, substance use, and mental health symptoms in transitional age youth experiencing homelessness. Public Health Nursing, 37(3), 363–370. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.12727
– Green, B., Kim, F. L., & Dean, D., Jr. (2020). Substance use and treatment among youth experiencing homelessness: 1992–2017. Journal of Adolescent Health, 67(6), 786–792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.04.019
– Player, E., Clark, E., Gure-Klinke, H., Walker, J., & Steel, N. (2020). A case study of tri-morbidity. Journal of Public Mental Health, 19(3), 213–219. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-05-2020-0047

Learning Objectives

The primary objective is for you to experience the world of research and gain skills that will prepare you for any future career you choose to pursue. By the end of the term, you will grasp the complexities of the research project and have made your own contribution to the project. You will have learned to communicate ideas and findings, both orally and in writing, to colleagues within your particular discipline, as well as peers from other disciplines.

Research Mentor

Priyanka Ranganath

Roles and Responsibilities of the Research Assistant

You are expected to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week on the project. The workload
may vary over the semester. If you are travelling to do field research in a different
location, additional time may be required.
As research assistant, you will engage in some or all of the following:
1. Participate in weekly meetings with your research mentor at a time set collectively at the beginning of the term.
2. Participate in a research orientation at the beginning of the semester 
3. Participate in two research workshops during the semester.
4. Write an assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses in the research
process at the beginning of the semester. Revisit at the end of the semester as part of an evaluation of your own participation in, and learning from, the research project.
5. Keep a research journal and submit it on canvas every week (or another specified interval) for your research mentor an DIS Research, describing the activities of the week, and outlining goals for the following week.
6. Conduct literature reviews.
7. Participate in carrying out the research project. This may include: familiarizing yourself with core concepts, prototyping, design testing, preliminary user studies. The specific responsibilities may vary depending on how the project progresses. Be prepared to contribute to tasks that may come up
during the semester. Research processes are not always predictable.
8. Present the relevance of the research and/or findings to peer(s) from other
disciplines at the DIS Festival.
9. Make a final oral and/or written presentation of the research you are involved in, depending on what is agreed with your research mentor.

Readings

The readings will be agreed upon with the Research Mentor at the beginning of the semester -
the exact content will differ depending on your background. You will receive guidance
concerning the basics of relevant concepts, study designs, methods of analysis, etc.

Evaluation and Grading

All research assistants are assessed on their participation, weekly status reports to the research mentor, self-evaluation and presentation to peers from other disciplines. Additional evaluation and grading depends on the individual research project and project phase and is outlined by the research mentor. It may include literature reviews, a poster presentation for an expert panel, a working paper, etc.

Participation* 10% of grade comprises attendance & active participation including homework in the research orientation, research workshops, and DIS Festival	20%
Literature review	5%
Research Project Outline	10%
Presentation at DIS Festival	10%
Final Paper	55%
TOTAL	100%

Research Orientation & Workshops

Days and times are available in the Course Summary, below.

Field Research (if applicable)

Some research projects include field research. Expenses related to fieldwork will be
covered by a DIS travel grant. The fieldwork will be planned with the research
mentor at the beginning of the semester.

Approach to Mentoring

All DIS research mentors have been trained in mentoring students but their approach to
mentoring may differ. Mentoring is about engaging at a different - and often deeper -
level than what is typical in the class room. However, mentoring also comes with some
degree of ambiguity, which is important for you to expect. The research
mentor will work closely with you throughout the semester but part of the training is also
for you to use your own judgement, to make assessments and decisions. As part of
planning your tasks and responsibilities for the semester together, the research
mentor will talk to you about her/his approach to mentoring.

Expectations of the Research Assistant

The specific expectations of the individual research assistant are agreed upon at the beginning of the semester. In general, a research assistant is expected to take initiative,
take ownership of the project and work independently. You must also be prepared for meetings and be willing to part take in relevant discussions. In cases where more
research assistants are involved in the same project, you will be expected to engage in some teamwork. Carrying out a research project is not a straightforward and
predictable process. This is part of what makes it exciting. It also means that communication is crucial. You are expected to take responsibility for communicating
about problems or issues that arise.

Data

Note that many US colleges/universities require their students who are participating in research at home or abroad to acquire Institutional Review Board approval. Examples include:

• Research involving human subjects
• If the results of any research conducted during your semester with DIS involving human subjects are to be made public or published in the US

You are responsible for confirming whether home IRB-approval is required and, if so, for seeking the approval of your home schools IRB. In addition, all research conducted in Europe must adhere to GDPR regulations, as noted above.

Disability and Resource Statement

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Academic Support in Copenhagen (acadsupp@dis.dk) or in Stockholm (academics@disstockholm.se), depending on the project location. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.

Academic Honesty - Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.