Homelessness is not just a housing problem
2008

Homelessness Is Not Just a Housing Problem

Editorial

Author Information

Author(s): Virginia Barbour, Jocalyn Clark, Larry Peiperl, Emma Veitch, Mai Wong, Gavin Yamey

Primary Institution: Public Library of Science

Conclusion

Homeless individuals have substantial and complex health needs that are often not adequately addressed.

Supporting Evidence

  • Homeless individuals face a higher risk of mental disorders and health issues.
  • Only 29 studies were deemed relevant to the analysis of mental disorders among the homeless.
  • Homeless people are often not registered with general practitioners, leading to inadequate health care access.

Takeaway

Being homeless means more than just not having a house; it also affects people's health in many complicated ways.

Potential Biases

The health needs of homeless individuals may be underrepresented in medical literature.

Limitations

The analysis is limited to studies from Western countries and only includes 29 relevant studies.

Participant Demographics

The editorial discusses homeless individuals in Western countries.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pmed.1000003

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