Health of the Homeless

Poor physical health is one of the prime reasons that people become homeless or can’t get up on their feet again.  Families that are struggling to get by can become homeless because of serious illness.  These families can barely pay for their basic necessities and paying the medical cost to treat family members seriously ill is just too much to do without sacrificing something else.  In a national study done in the 1980s, 13% of the homeless people surveyed indicated that poor physical health was a factor in them becoming homeless.  Around 6.5% of the homeless people surveyed say that poor physical health was a major factor and 2% stated that poor physical health was the most important factor.

Excluding strokes, cancer, and obesity those who are homeless are more likely to suffer from every type of chronic health problem.  The fact of the matter is that it is difficult, and nearly impossible, to treat chronic disorders that require uninterrupted treatment without proper shelter.  Some common problems among homeless people are frostbite, upper respiratory infections, and leg ulcers.  Many time’s homeless people experience trauma as a result of beatings, muggings, and rape.  Without good nutrition, good personal hygiene, and basic first aid the health of the homeless is further deteriorated.  In some cases the homeless suffer from mental illness and addiction disorders which makes their already poor physical health even worse.

The Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) provides health care for the homeless.  The HCH provides health care for 450,000 people in 48 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  The HCH is the only federally funded agency that’s sole purpose is to provide health care for the homeless.  Studies have shown that the HCH is cost effective.  The restoration of poor physical health is often the first step toward reentry into stable housing and mainstream society (NCH).