The need for homeless help is increasing with the rapid explosion in population and limiting resources. It is one of the most pressing social issues the world is facing today. Besides, the mental and physical health conditions of these people are pathetic as compared to the general population. Additionally, the prevalence of mental ailments is numerous times higher as compared to that in normal people. It is important to understand the health risks related to lack of accommodation. Otherwise, the homeless help services will be ineffective and counterproductive. Read this post until the end to learn more about the health vulnerabilities related to homelessness.
Table of Contents
Possible Reasons Behind The Homelessness
There is not a single reason that can be credited for the homelessness of a person. It includes a number of the possible factors that may lead to this unfortunate situation. Some of the main reasons are poverty, inability to buy a home, social trauma, mental disorder, or physical ailments. Besides, unemployment is also one of the big reasons that can snatch a person’s accommodation. Some detrimental habits, such as gambling or excessive consumption of drugs, can also be mentioned in the list of the possible reasons behind homelessness. It is possible that a vagrant can have any kind of addictive disorder.
Health Issues Related To Homelessness
Homeless people are highly exposed to multifaceted health issues that are stated in the below-given list:
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Mortality And Unintentional Injuries
Homelessness is a very unfortunate condition that can have a detrimental series of events. A vagrant person becomes vulnerable to uncertainties. He never knows what he is going to face next. In the same progression, he lives with a high risk of injuries and even death. The never-ending challenges for a homeless person may include harsh weather conditions, unintentional injuries, accidents, and several other things.
Furthermore, high-pressure situations often make them aggressive, and therefore they are at high risk of intense fighting. In the winter season, there are higher chances of frostbiting. On the other hand, in summer, the scorching sun can give them rashes and other skin ailments. The situation gets worse when they fail to get proper health care and treatment in case of injuries. Their wounds become septic if not treated at the right time.
The other detrimental reaction to homelessness is the increased criminal intent. Theft, robbery, snatching, and vandalism become common in this ill-fated situation. It is high time when homeless help must be provided to these people.
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Chronic Muscle & Joint Pain
A homeless person needs a lot of walking. It can cause them chronic joint and muscle pain. Besides, it also leads to the depletion of the ligaments and loss of collagen from joints. Sometimes, the pain doesn’t relieve for days. The failure to acquire the right medical attention at the right time makes the situation worse.
There are several other possible reasons related to homelessness that can bring forth troubling health conditions. The list may include sleeplessness, lack of proper rest, high-stress levels, headache, and various others. On the other hand, homeless help centers ensure that the people missing their accommodation don’t have to face these ill-fated situations anymore. Additionally, you can find the communities serving these people with proper accommodation and basic health facilities.
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Inadequate Feed To The Appetite
Hunger and malnutrition are very common issues related to homelessness. They find it really difficult to feed their day-to-day appetite. It makes them weak and prone to several health conditions. It doesn’t only affect them physically, but it also has a mental impact. Starving for a long time promotes issues such as fatigue, weakness, and exhaustion. Besides, eating stale food can evoke several oral hygiene problems.
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Skin & foot problems
People who are not having proper stay are often seen walking for long periods of time in ill-fitting shoes and worn-out socks. This causes a wide variety of foot problems for them. Some of these foot ailments are onychomycosis, corns and calluses, tinea pedis, and several others. The possible causes that can evoke these foot problems are lack of footwear, feet exposed to moisture, long walking time, and more.
Skin disease is also one of the main vulnerabilities of homeless people. The failure to shower enough and maintain proper hygiene exacerbates many health problems.
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Infectious diseases
The underprivileged people who are homeless are at risk of infectious diseases such as hepatitis A, B, and C, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS due to compromised immune systems, poor nutrition and sanitation, and frequent overcrowding in shelters.
In addition, some of the behaviors that some people participate in, such as survival sex or intravenous drug use, raise the risk of disease spreading. This, coupled with the difficulties many homeless people have in receiving care, makes it impossible to prevent infectious diseases.
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Dental problems
Dental issues are common in homelessness because, in this situation, it becomes really difficult to take proper self-care. Eating stale food, the increased pH level of mouth, stains, and oral plaque become some common dental issues during homelessness. When the proper care is ignored, this starts erosion in the uppermost layer of the tooth, known as enamel. Besides, it causes cavities that eventually lead to tooth loss.
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Respiratory illness
People with no fixed abode are more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They mostly live on the streets and soak large amounts of pollution, which makes them prone to a wide variety of respiratory disorders.
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Chronic diseases and disorders
Chronic diseases and disorders are common among homeless people. In the beginning, they avoid these conditions but later on date and chronic. Hypertension, joint pain, and heart diseases are some of the main issues that can stay longer with them. Some other issues that were identified in the surveys were stress, anxiety, and alcohol-related seizure. When food and stay become their primary quest, they become ignorant to their health and sanitation.
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Sexual & reproductive care
This is a dreadfully increasing challenge among the people wondering due to the lack of accommodations. Homeless people make more sexual relationships in return for the smallest things, such as food for some cash. It makes them highly prone to sexually transmitted diseases. Besides, it crops up multifaceted challenges in the pregnancy due to lack of proper nutrition, support, and abnormal sexual behavior.
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Mental health issues
Mental illness is very common among homeless people. The consistent trauma makes them paranoid. They deal with mental issues in one form or the other. Homelessness does a lot of things with people. It eliminates the fear of social justice or the pressure of being right. The only right at any moment is the thing that can help them survive.
Women are more vulnerable to mental illnesses as compared to men. Furthermore, many of them are likely to make suicidal attempts. The main reason behind this tendency is that most of them are released from hospitals, and jails which can be distressing for any normal being. On the other hand, multiple sexual relationships, lack of social security, and stress for the family cause mental illnesses in the women.
Preventive Care For Homelessness
Preventive care for the people at risk of homelessness can include short-term case management, deliberate efforts to help people find jobs, military discharge planning; It may also include the homeless help communities that can empower the people to break this vicious cycle, health risks, and poverty. It can be carried out through adult learning centers, college programs for teens, health clinics, and more.
Conclusion
Homelessness is one of the most burning issues of the time that can be tamed with the help of proper awareness and deliberate effort of the homeless help communities. Identifying the potential risks of a rogue life can also be a crucial factor. In this post, we have listed the strongest vulnerabilities related to lack of accommodation and preventive steps for them. If you liked it, find more from our blog section.
