Department of Social Work, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, USA.
Care Connections Outreach, John Peter Smith Health Network, Fort Worth, USA.
Community Ment Health J. 2020 Feb;56(2):271-279. doi: 10.1007/s10597-019-00470-0. Epub 2019 Sep 24.
Secondary data obtained through the 2015 point-in-time homelessness count and an administrative health care utilization database was used to identify differences in demographic characteristics, health service use, and predictors of health service use among people experiencing unsheltered and sheltered homelessness. Compared to sheltered participants, unsheltered participants had higher proportions of males and Caucasians, were younger, were more likely to use any type of health service and ED services, and used significantly more of any health service and ED and outpatient services. Results also confirm that health services utilization is a complex phenomenon predicted by a variety of predisposing, enabling, and need-related factors, including mental health problems. Together, these findings demonstrate important differences between people living unsheltered and those residing in shelters and they inform local health policy and program initiatives tailored towards these homeless populations.
利用 2015 年实时无家可归者普查和行政医疗保健利用数据库获得的二手数据,来确定有和无庇护所的无家可归者在人口统计学特征、卫生服务利用以及卫生服务利用预测因素方面的差异。与有庇护所的参与者相比,无庇护所的参与者中男性和白种人的比例更高,年龄更小,更有可能使用任何类型的卫生服务和急诊服务,并且使用任何卫生服务、急诊和门诊服务的比例显著更高。研究结果还证实,卫生服务的利用是一种复杂的现象,受到多种倾向因素、促成因素和与需求相关的因素的影响,包括心理健康问题。这些发现共同表明,无家可归者与居住在庇护所中的人之间存在重要差异,并为针对这些无家可归者群体的当地卫生政策和项目计划提供了信息。