Homeless Health Promotion
Health Promotion amongst the Homeless
Mary Goodman
Excelsior College
Health Promotion As the economy changes, so does the availability of services, goods and money for many every individual. For those individuals who are already struggling with some type of issue such as a decrease in hours worked, wage, disability, domestic violence etc. these changes affect them in a much more severe context. For those who become or are homeless, health care may not be the first thing to take care of on their daily tasks list. Other things like eating, finding safe shelter and not getting arrested are of the most importance. However as many contract health related diseases such as tuberculosis, diabetes, scabies, influenza, etc. health care becomes …show more content…
Homelessness and lack of health care are positively related and having no health insurance at all can itself alone cause homelessness. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless (2009), half of all personal bankruptcies in the United States in 2008 were due to health related problems. The most important fact to remember when promotion health to this community is that they have little to no money, experience embarrassment, nervousness and/or may become offended and may not appear as if they need help but may or may not be mentally ill. These three things are not only considered barriers to the community when trying to receive health care but they are also barriers to the medical professionals who are not properly educated on how to show discretion and privacy for each homeless individual. Other relevant barriers include the lack of knowledge about where to get treated, lack of transportation and health care …show more content…
Homelessness impacts the community in the following ways: economically, politically, legally and physically. As the number of unhealthy homeless individuals increase, the cost of maintaining and operating health facilities and service programs that cater to this population increases. Taxpayers fund these programs and services with the help of private donations. When the homeless do not seek out these federally funded or privately funded services and programs, they seek another method of obtaining money and/or services by panhandling or stealing, this creates a legal problem. Also for those individuals who do not go to a shelter or place to eat, they must find food and typically they do this through garbage cans and recyclable places. This action creates health issues which causes this epidemic to continue. As there are those businesses that may deny the homeless individual to bathe or clean themselves properly, he/she may go days without proper hygiene care causing another more health problems such as scabies or other bodily
Mary Goodman
Excelsior College
Health Promotion As the economy changes, so does the availability of services, goods and money for many every individual. For those individuals who are already struggling with some type of issue such as a decrease in hours worked, wage, disability, domestic violence etc. these changes affect them in a much more severe context. For those who become or are homeless, health care may not be the first thing to take care of on their daily tasks list. Other things like eating, finding safe shelter and not getting arrested are of the most importance. However as many contract health related diseases such as tuberculosis, diabetes, scabies, influenza, etc. health care becomes …show more content…
Homelessness and lack of health care are positively related and having no health insurance at all can itself alone cause homelessness. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless (2009), half of all personal bankruptcies in the United States in 2008 were due to health related problems. The most important fact to remember when promotion health to this community is that they have little to no money, experience embarrassment, nervousness and/or may become offended and may not appear as if they need help but may or may not be mentally ill. These three things are not only considered barriers to the community when trying to receive health care but they are also barriers to the medical professionals who are not properly educated on how to show discretion and privacy for each homeless individual. Other relevant barriers include the lack of knowledge about where to get treated, lack of transportation and health care …show more content…
Homelessness impacts the community in the following ways: economically, politically, legally and physically. As the number of unhealthy homeless individuals increase, the cost of maintaining and operating health facilities and service programs that cater to this population increases. Taxpayers fund these programs and services with the help of private donations. When the homeless do not seek out these federally funded or privately funded services and programs, they seek another method of obtaining money and/or services by panhandling or stealing, this creates a legal problem. Also for those individuals who do not go to a shelter or place to eat, they must find food and typically they do this through garbage cans and recyclable places. This action creates health issues which causes this epidemic to continue. As there are those businesses that may deny the homeless individual to bathe or clean themselves properly, he/she may go days without proper hygiene care causing another more health problems such as scabies or other bodily