Homelessness In The Community

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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. America seems to have completely forgotten about these individuals, failing to stop a think about what elements of their life ultimately landed them homeless. Homelessness is not just a health concern for the individuals involved it also poses health risk to the community as a whole. First, the homeless are without access to running water, this poses several health concerns such as; where is their human waste going without proper facilities? Additional environmental concerns include; encampments, litter, run-off, disease and drug waste. …show more content…

These men once defended our country and now find themselves almost abandoned by it. According to, Donovan and Shinseki (2013) “Veterans are at greater risk of experiencing homelessness than other adults. The reasons for this are not all related to military service; however, combat, wartime trauma, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sometimes contribute to a downward spiral of depression, substance abuse, broken relationships, unemployment, and isolation.” There are personal issues associated with homelessness including hunger and nutrition issues, since they do not have the ability to prepare proper meals nor the funds to purchase healthy food choices. Additional concerns are; mental health issues, dental problems, injuries and death due to exposure to the outdoor

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