Search Library
Publisher: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
Publication Date: 2010
What is the most effective way to deliver point-of-first-contact or primary health care to homeless persons? A number of new models of payment and organization have been used in Canada over the last two decades, but there is little literature on whether they meet the needs of homeless persons. The researchers interviewed key informants in primary care programs targeting homeless individuals and concluded that the disproportionate burden of illnes...
Publication Date: 2010
Background Drug use is believed to be an important factor contributing to the poor health and increased mortality risk that has been widely observed among homeless individuals. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of drug use among a representative sample of homeless individuals and to examine the association between drug problems and physical and mental health status. Methods Recruitment of 603 sin...
Publication Date: 2009
We quantified changes in the proportion of homeless persons reporting unmet need for health care in Birmingham, Alabama, comparing two periods, 1995 and 2005. We assessed whether a period effect was independent of characteristics of persons surveyed.
Publisher: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
Publication Date: 2009
The researchers investigated the relationship between traumatic brain injury and current health conditions in a representative sample of homeless people. They asked 601 men and 303 women at homeless shelters and meal programs in 2004–2005 in Toronto about any head injury that left the person dazed, confused, disoriented or unconscious. They found that lifetime prevalence among homeless participants was 53% for any traumatic brain injury and 12% f...
Publisher: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
Publication Date: 2009
This chapter provide an overview of previous research on homelessness and the relationship between homelessness and health (particularly in Canada), to spur discussion on directions for future research. Homeless people suffer from higher levels of disease and the causal pathways linking homelessness and poor health are complex. Efforts to reduce homelessness and improve health include biomedical, educational, environmental and policy strategies....
Organization: The Homeless Hub
Publication Date: 2009
We have a system in Canada which admirably ensures that almost everyone has health insurance but which doesn’t necessarily ensure they have access to a primary care provider whom they trust and have confidence in and coordination of the care they need for their complex physical and mental health conditions.
Where are you from and where did you study?
I was actually born in Los Angeles California, and did my medical school training at Johns Hopk...
Publication Date: 1998
The objective of this research is to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with an increased risk of death in homeless indivuduals.
Publication Date: 2002
A study of the panhandlers in Toronto, ON to determine their demographic characteristics, income from panhandling and other sources, spending patterns and attitudes toward panhandling.
Publication Date: 2007
The objective of this systematic review is to inform program and policy development and future research by examining the available empirical evidence on the effects of housing status on health-related outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS. HIV infection is increasingly characterized as a chronic condition that can be managed through adherence to a healthy lifestyle, complex drug regimens, and regular treatment and monitoring. The location, q...
Publication Date: 2005
Background - Homeless people represent an extremely disadvantaged group in North America. Among older homeless men, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death. The objective of this study was to examine cardiovascular risk factors in a representative sample of homeless adults and identify opportunities for improved risk factor modification.
Publication Date: 2005
Background: Homelessness is a widespread problem in the United States. The primary goal of this systematic review is to provide guidance in the development and organization of programs to improve the health of homeless people.
Methods: MEDLINE, CINAHL, HealthStar, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, and Social Services Abstracts databases were searched from their inception through July 2004 using the following terms: homeless, homeless persons, and...
Publication Date: 2004
We examined homeless people's self-reported interactions with police and paramedics in Toronto, Canada, and their level of trust in these emergency service providers. In a sample of 160 shelter users, 61% had interacted with police in the last 12 months, and 37% had interacted with paramedics (P=.0001). The proportion of subjects who expressed willingness to call police in an emergency was significantly lower than those willing to call paramedics...
Publication Date: 2005
Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of a community-based intervention to increase the use of screening mammography among disadvantaged women at an inner-city drop-in center. Methods: This study involved women 50 to 70 years old who were clients of an inner-city drop-in center in Toronto, Canada, during the years 1995-2002 (N = 158 in 1995-2001 and N = 89 in 2002). In 2002, the drop-in center and a nearby hospital initiated a collaborative bre...
Publication Date: 2000
The study was conducted on men aged 18 years or older who used homeless shelters in Toronto in 1995. It compared mortality rates among men using homeless shelters with the general Toronto population, and examined whether mortality rates differ significantly among men using homeless shelters in Canadian and US cities. The mean age of death for homeless people in the Toronto study was 45 years. The data also showed a mortality rate among homeless p...
Publication Date: 2003
This discussion paper was written for the International Think Tank on Reducing Health Disparities and Promoting Equity for Vulnerable Populations from September 21-23, 2003, in Ottawa, Canada. It is intended to provoke questions and to raise issues for discussion during the meeting. It was prepared to provide an overview of homelessness research and to stimulate discussion on strategic directions for research. We identified studies on homelessnes...
Publication Date: 2002
BACKGROUND: Homeless people suffer from high levels of morbidity and mortality, but there is surprisingly little empiric evidence that homelessness has a direct adverse effect on health. METHODS: This study examined the relationship between shelter use and risk of death using longitudinal data in a cohort of 8,769 homeless men in Toronto, Ontario. Shelter use was modelled as a time-dependent covariate in a Cox regression analysis.
Publication Date: 2003
BACKGROUND: Rooming houses are an important source of housing for low-income Canadians. Little information is available on the relationship between housing conditions and health status in this vulnerable population. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with a representative sample of 295 residents in 171 rooming houses in Toronto. Health status was assessed using the SF-36. The physical attractiveness of each rooming house was rated using the Multi...
Publication Date: 2004
Background: Homeless people are at high risk for illness and have higher death rates than the general population. Patterns of mortality among homeless men have been investigated, but less attention has been given to mortality rates among homeless women. We report mortality rates and causes of death in a cohort of women who used homeless shelters in Toronto. We also compare our results with those of other published studies of homeless women and wi...
Publication Date: 2001
Homelessness is a significant problem in the urban centers of many western countries. According to the United Nations, ‘absolute homelessness’ refers to people who sleep outdoors, in vehicles, or in abandoned buildings. In developed countries, many people who would otherwise be ‘absolutely homeless’ sleep in shelters run by government or charitable organizations. ‘Relative homelessness’ refers to people whose physical shelter does not meet basic...
Publication Date: 2005
This article was for prepared for an international think-tank on reducing health disparities and promoting equity for vulnerable populations. Its purposes are to provide an overview of homelessness research and to stimulate discussion on strategic directions for research. We identified studies on homelessness, with an emphasis on Canadian research. Studies were grouped by focus and design under the following topics: the scope of homelessness, the...