The Homeless: Social Isolates

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Within the last 10 years, homelessness has emerged as one of the leading social problems in the United States. This article contains the findings of a descriptive study of the characteristics and health status of a homeless population in a southeastern city. The homeless population is of interest to nurses because it is representative of a specific disadvantaged group, seriously at risk for a myriad of physical and mental problems. The theoretical model, Social Disaffiliation, can serve as a basis for intervention with a variety of underserved or unserved population groups and the data presented provide opportunities for designing nursing intervention strategies. The study was conceived as a way to gather empirical evidence about the specific health-care needs of the community's homeless, to generate a data base on which to estimate that need, and to use the findings to support the establishment of an innovative practice model, a nurse-managed clinic. The literature suggests that on-site clinics, located in emergency shelters, are effective approaches to providing acceptable and accessible health care to the homeless. Nurses are well prepared to be a key part of the solution to one of the most serious problems facing health care in the U.S. today.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: