A Profile of the Health of Homeless at an Inner City Primary Health Care Clinic in South Africa.

People who are homeless present for care with poor health status, influenced by their physical and social environment. Trinity Health Services is an interprofessional student-run clinic providing free health care to the inner city homeless of Johannesburg, South Africa. This descriptive survey profiled the disease conditions of the homeless through a retrospective review of patient files, documented on a predesigned case report form. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A total of 240 patient visits were reviewed from January-December 2016. Several patients reported consuming alcohol (n=76), smoking cigarettes (n=80) and/or using recreational drugs (n=17). Patients commonly presented with conditions related to the respiratory (n=56) and digestive systems (n=32). The clinic dispenses medication according to a restricted formulary where analgesics (n=93), antibiotics (n=33), antihistamines (n=25) and vitamins (n=20) were prescribed frequently. This study provided baseline information to which the clinic can tailor the services provided.