Homeles*

Recent studies have used the World Health Organization's new Behavioural and Social Drivers (BeSD) framework to analyse vaccine uptake. However, this study of COVID-19 vaccination among marginalised population groups highlights the framework's limitations regarding the centrality of the state in shaping people's vaccination intentions in high income countries. We conducted interviews and focus groups with service providers and community members to explore COVID-19 vaccination amongst Western Australians experiencing homelessness and/or from other marginalised populations (such as people with substance use dependence)...

BACKGROUND: People experiencing homelessness co-occurring with substance use or offending ('severe and multiple disadvantage' SMD) often have high levels of poor oral health and related health behaviours (particularly, substance use, smoking, poor diet). This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions in adults experiencing SMD to improve oral health and related health behaviours. METHODS AND FINDINGS: From inception to February 2023, five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus) and grey literature were searched...

IMPORTANCE: Several factors may place people with mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, at increased risk of experiencing homelessness and experiencing homelessness may also increase the risk of developing mental health disorders. Meta-analyses examining the prevalence of mental health disorders among people experiencing homelessness globally are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To determine the current and lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders among people experiencing homelessness and identify associated factors...

Hypothermia is defined as a significant drop in core body temperature below 35°C (95°F). It is traditionally staged as mild, moderate, severe, and profound at temperatures of 35°C to 32°C (95°F to 89.6°F), 32°C to 28°C (89.6°F to 82.4°F), <28°C (<82.4°F), and <24°C (75.2°F), respectively. It can also be classified into the same stages by clinical presentations. We present a patient that fits into two different stages based on core body temperature and clinical presentation...

OBJECTIVE: To describe syphilis treatment status and prenatal care among people with syphilis during pregnancy to identify missed opportunities for preventing congenital syphilis. METHODS: Six jurisdictions that participated in SET-NET (Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Pregnant People and Infants Network) conducted enhanced surveillance among people with syphilis during pregnancy based on case investigations, medical records, and linkage of laboratory data with vital records...

BACKGROUND: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and treatment interventions that are tailored to optimize acceptance among the non-U.S.-born population are essential for U.S. tuberculosis elimination. We investigated the impact of medical interpreter use on LTBI treatment acceptance and completion among non-U.S.-born persons in a multisite study. METHODS: The Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium was a prospective cohort study that enrolled participants at high risk for LTBI at ten U...

BACKGROUND: In North Carolina, HIV continues to disproportionately affect young African American women. Although mobile health (mHealth) technology appears to be a tool capable of making public health information more accessible for key populations, previous technology use and social determinants may impact users' mHealth experiences. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate mHealth usability, assessing differences based on previous technology use and social determinants among a sample of African American women in emerging adulthood...

Individuals experiencing chronic homelessness have high rates of persistent co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD), and they often have difficulty with service engagement and retention, resulting in symptom exacerbation and housing loss. This study pilot tested Maintaining Independence and Sobriety Through Systems Integration, Outreach and Networking (MISSION), a multicomponent wraparound treatment approach to improve COD symptoms and housing stability among individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and persistent COD...

Despite the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being, there is a high prevalence of undiagnosed sleep disorders and adverse sleep health, particularly among vulnerable populations. Such vulnerable populations include people experiencing homelessness (PEH), refugees, and incarcerated individuals. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the literature on sleep health and disorders among key and vulnerable populations (e.g., PEH, refugees, and incarcerated individuals). The limited research among these populations indicated a high prevalence of sleep disorders, mainly insomnia, short sleep duration, and fatigue...

Substance misuse is a pernicious health concern for many unhoused people. A deep understanding of turning points - what propels someone to take concrete action toward addressing substance misuse - is needed to inform recovery policies and practices. This study sought to identify common elements in turning points among unhoused people vis-à-vis a phenomenological qualitative approach. Twenty people ( M age = 47.47, SD  = 9.75; 50% female) who self-identified as being in recovery while unhoused participated in semi-structured interviews in Anchorage, Alaska, a community with high rates of both houselessness and substance misuse...

In the State of Hawaii, previous research has suggested that minority groups such as Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders are disproportionately affected by mental health disorders and have less access to mental health services. The purpose of this study was to determine if similar disparities in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among different ethnic groups are also present among Hawaii's houseless population. A retrospective chart review of records from one of Oahu's major houseless outreach clinics was performed to gather patient demographics and reported histories of psychiatric diagnoses...

BACKGROUND: In Europe and Italy, marginalized communities have a higher risk for both contracting sexually transmitted infections (STI) and progressing towards adverse outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study focuses on the screening of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis among homeless individuals and agricultural migrant workers living in Apulia, Italy. It aims to assess STI prevalence and investigate factors that might hinder return to collect test results. In addition, it explores STI knowledge, attitudes, and practices among these vulnerable populations...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

The effects of homelessness and permanent supportive housing (PSH) on health care utilization have been well documented. Prior research on the association between PSH entry and Medicaid expenditures have indicated that such housing support could result in savings to Medicaid programs; however, whether changes occur in health care use and expenditures after individuals exit PSH is unknown. If efficiency gains from PSH persist after the individual leaves PSH, the savings to payers such as Medicaid may continue even after the costs to provide housing for a PSH recipient have ended...

BACKGROUND: People experiencing homelessness frequently die young, from preventable and treatable conditions. They experience significant barriers to healthcare and are often critically ill when admitted to hospital. A hospital admission is an opportunity to intervene and prevent premature mortality by providing compassionate care and facilitating access to safe onward accommodation and support. METHODS: To quantify needs, a cross-sectional audit of inpatients experiencing homelessness across 15 acute hospital teams in London, was undertaken in February 2022...

People experiencing homelessness have extremely poor health outcomes and frequently die young. Many single homeless people live in hostels, the remit of which is to provide support to facilitate recovery out of homelessness. They are not usually designed to support people with high health or care needs. A cross-sectional survey was developed with, and completed by, hostel managers to explore and quantify the level of health and care needs of people living in their hostels. In total, 58 managers completed the survey, with information on 2,355 clients: 64% had substance use disorder, 56% had mental health issues, and 37...

This article explores the lived experience of young women navigating and surviving domestic and family violence (DFV) and homelessness. Promoting the voices of young women through in-depth interviews, this article considers their story of violence, abuse, homelessness, and sense of safety. Such stories enable reflection on the ability of services to provide personal, material, emotional, and cultural safety in a way that recognizes the intersecting impact of trauma before, during, and after experiences of DFV...

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine offers the opportunity to provide clinical services remotely, thereby bridging geographic distances for people engaged in the medical system. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the widespread adoption of telemedicine in clinical practices has persisted, highlighting its continued relevance for post-pandemic healthcare. Little is known about telemedicine use among people from socially marginalized groups. METHODS: The No One Waits (NOW) Study is a single-arm clinical trial measuring the acceptability, feasibility, and safety of an urban point-of-diagnosis hepatitis C (HCV) treatment initiation model delivered in a non-clinical community setting...

Storylines of Family Medicine is a 12-part series of thematically linked mini-essays with accompanying illustrations that explore the many dimensions of family medicine as interpreted by individual family physicians and medical educators in the USA and elsewhere around the world. In 'IX: people and places-diverse populations and locations of care', authors address the following themes: 'LGBTQIA+health in family medicine', 'A family medicine approach to substance use disorders', 'Shameless medicine for people experiencing homelessness', '''Difficult" encounters-finding the person behind the patient', 'Attending to patients with medically unexplained symptoms', 'Making house calls and home visits', 'Family physicians in the procedure room', 'Robust rural family medicine' and 'Full-spectrum family medicine'...

Hoarding Disorder (HD) is a prominent and disabling neuropsychiatric condition defined by the inability to discard objects resulting in impairing levels of clutter. The prevalence rate is 2-6 % and increases with age. The aging Veteran population is a high risk group for impairment associated with HD. Medical and psychiatric comorbidities as well as associated rates of disability and poor quality of life are very common in both HD and the related disorder of OCD. We examined rates of HD and OCD diagnoses at the VA San Diego Healthcare System...