The human body is a machine with a very complicated working mechanism. For a human being to be productive, his body should be in good shape and health. Therefore, health is a major determinant factor in our resourcefulness. All human beings are entitled to good healthcare. In a general perspective, healthcare is all about maintaining one’s health and improving the health of deteriorating bodies. However, there is a close relationship between healthcare and the homeless population, in that most of the homeless population does not have access to good healthcare.
According to a report by the National Coalition for the Homeless (2009), poor health is closely associated with homelessness. For instance, even if one belongs to the middle or lower class in society, a serious illness will lead to a financial downward spiral starting from losing one’s job due to a lot of time spent away from work, usage of one’s savings to pay for medical bills and this can lead to one being evicted from his/her house and one eventually ends up in the streets where the person will become vulnerable to infections and
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These include among others, cost, government policies, ignorance, poor infrastructure and psychological factors. Cost involves high cost of healthcare both on the individual side and the health care providers’ side. Government policies should be set up in a way that looks after the health of its citizens. The ignorance of the homeless population when it comes to their own health and their psychological challenges also acts as a hindrance to accessing healthcare. If these hurdles are adequately addressed, the homeless population will be able to access quality healthcare just like the other populations. Subsequent paragraphs will dig deeper into these factors trying to show how the health information system will rescue the current state of affairs in the health of the homeless
The social structural force of healthcare forces the Edgewater homeless avoid the hospital as much as they can, until they are at the sure point of suffering life threatening injuries. This is because if they were to check into the hospital and their injuries were not life threatening, they were forced to wait in the waiting room almost a full day without guarantee they will be treated. Consequently, after a full day of waiting they are always rejected and forced back on to the streets. Thus, they will return to the streets dopesick without
Today in America the homeless account for almost 1.8 million with nearly 44 % of them being men. Disease and mortality are greatest in the homeless, there has “been a 51% increase in the number of patients age 50 or older between 2008 and 2014 (Healthcare).” With these increasing numbers, the growing need for advanced care planning in the homeless is becoming more relevant. The case study that was examined was Paul: No Surrogate.
The Ottawa Charter recognizes that health is influenced by social, economic, and environmental factors and that addressing these factors is critical for promoting health and well-being. Homelessness is a public health issue that has negative impacts on the physical and mental health of individuals. Homeless individuals are at higher risk of developing chronic diseases, mental health disorders, and substance abuse problems. Therefore, addressing homelessness is critical for promoting health and well-being.
The following paper will aid in finding the fundamental components of Homelessness, such as the causes, effects, and solutions. Many people are snapped back to reality when they can’t afford to pay rent, buy food, or otherwise -low income becomes their safety’s demise. With the competitiveness in the job market, a large abundance of people cannot find jobs higher than minimum wage, which is not even close to the amount of money one can live comfortably on. The author of A Homeless Mother talks about her personal experience with low income, explaining her struggle to get jobs with an income over the low $3.35 an hour and affording health necessities without insurance, causing her to lose her apartment. (A Homeless Mother)
Homeless Americans are some of the most desperate citizens in need of medical coverage due to how poverty negatively affects their health. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), “Many homless people in America suffer from serious health challenges including: Mental health, substance abuse, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, liver disease, and hypertension”. These are very serious medical issues, and it can be extremely difficult for homeless people to get help on these issues due to their unemployed status. USICH reports have also shown that, “Homeless people rely on emergency room visits and uncompensated hospital care.” The results are this are not only dangerous for the homeless, but they also have adverse effects on all American systems.
On any given night, approximately 30,000 Canadians struggle to find a safe place to spend the night. Research indicates that lack of a stable and supportive living environment is detrimental for one’s health and well-being. Consequently, homeless individuals have significantly worse physical and mental health than the general population, and are at higher risk of death. Compared to the general population, homeless individuals are more likely to resort to emergency care services and have longer hospital stays, bearing increased financial burdens on the healthcare system. Although this population requires high levels of medical attention, people who are homeless have substantial unmet health care needs within Canada’s traditional model of primary
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of the homeless population in United States suffers from a form of severe mental illness (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). Mental illness is the third largest cause of homelessness for single adults. (National Coalition for the Homeless). People with mental illness who become homeless lack both proper medications for the illness and suffer from extreme psychological problems. It is often a challenge hosting and caring for individuals with mental illness because they suffer from mental issues such as delusions and bizarre conduct.
In the United States homelessness has been a substantial problem for decades. The reason for homelessness is greatly debated especially
These can all contribute to the level of homelessness in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2011). Being homeless can mean that you are socially excluded from your community. For the homeless this can mean a greater risk of them having poor physical health, an increased personal safety risk and their psychological well-being is also a lot worse off. The homeless have lost the basic human rights of having a stable living life, health
Substance Abuse Effects On The Homeless Population Shelby Saltsman HMS 102 Addiction is one simple word that evokes such deep and immense thoughts and feelings. For some, they know firsthand what it is like to be addicted, while others have seen someone struggle with addiction. Now, not all addictions are bad, and not every addiction has to be a drug addiction. To name a few, social media, gambling, food, and shopping are non-drug-related addictions. However, drug addiction and substance abuse disorders are rapidly growing.
One of the public health issues in my community, is homelessness. This is a problem for many communities throughout the country, but I see it on a regular basis in the Raleigh, North Carolina communities. There is currently a health crisis visible on the streets of our communities. There are homeless, men, women and children living in unbelievable conditions. Many of these people are suffering from a multitude of health issues.
Environmental factors contribute to homeless children’s poor health and they are at high risk for infectious disease. Homeless children are at greater risk for asthma and lead poisoning, often with more severe symptoms than housed children. Poor nutrition also contributes to homeless children’s poor health, causing increased rates of stunted growth and anemia. Despite these widespread health problems, homeless children generally lack access to consistent health care, and this lack of care can increase severity of illness. Homelessness also exposes infants to environmental factors that can endanger their health.
Being homeless can drive a person into a more dangerous situation such as health issues, due to the continuous high levels of stress that they face while struggling to survive. Because homeless individuals do not have the appropriate clothing and shelter to stay warm and dry, they are bound to feel the harsh effects of winter which can possible cause a stroke and or death. Going hours, days, weeks, or even months without food can lead to starvation, which causes the body to dysfunction and can also leads to death. Eating from the trash, which is normally what the homeless has to resort to can also lead to health issues such as infectious diseases. To make matters worse, not receiving any medical attention increases their chances of becoming
The issue of homelessness in America has been evident since the early 1600’s. Across the country men, women and children spend their nights on the streets not knowing when or if they will ever find a permanent home. States and federal officials or city councils have tried to alleviate or at least reduce the number of homeless over the last several decades at a city, state or national level but it continues to be an ongoing problem. There is a multitude of factors that account for the growing homeless population that affects each state in the country differently. Though there are many contributing factors that contribute to the amount of people living on the street at any given night in the U.S.
Increase the number of the free clinics that will provide some health issue. Homeless population are at risk for chronic illness making them vulnerable to volience and substance abuse. This population has limited access to resources; difficulty in essentials of daily living: food, clothing, shelter. Often these individual has an underlining mental health issues or substance abuse problems. They do not have support outside their homeless community.