Clarke P N, Williams C A, Percy M A, Kim Y S
Department of Family and Community Health Nursing, College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208, USA.
J Community Health Nurs. 1995;12(2):101-10. doi: 10.1207/s15327655jchn1202_4.
Homelessness in America is on the rise. Cities across the United States have been targeted in studies documenting the prevalence, health needs, and socioeconomic status of the "new" homeless. Southern cities have been noticeably underrepresented in these reports. The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to identify the health needs and life situations of the homeless population in Columbia, South Carolina. Adult participants were interviewed at homeless shelters, public parks, and soup kitchens. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to increase reliability and to portray a comprehensive picture of this diverse population. An interview guide was designed to help interviewers elicit the experience of homelessness including the needs of women and children. Outcomes paralleled findings of previous studies supporting the commonality of the homeless experience across geographic areas. Among the 157 respondents, 41 (26.1%) were women living in shelters or on the street. Minorities were well represented, with 67.5% of the sample composed of African Americans and .6% composed of Spanish Americans. Reasons for homelessness were expressed as a combination of factors such as loss of a job, family problems, or health problems. Of those who disclosed abuse histories (n = 59), 73.8% stated that this had occurred before becoming homeless. Implications for the development of innovative community nursing systems to meet the needs of this population are addressed.
美国无家可归者的数量正在上升。美国各地的城市都成为了研究对象，这些研究记录了“新”无家可归者的患病率、健康需求和社会经济状况。南方城市在这些报告中的代表性明显不足。这项探索性描述性研究的目的是确定南卡罗来纳州哥伦比亚市无家可归者的健康需求和生活状况。在无家可归者收容所、公园和施粥处对成年参与者进行了访谈。采用定量和定性方法以提高可靠性，并全面描绘这一多样化群体的情况。设计了一份访谈指南，以帮助访谈者了解无家可归的经历，包括妇女和儿童的需求。研究结果与先前的研究结果一致，支持了不同地理区域无家可归经历的共性。在157名受访者中，41名（26.1%）是住在收容所或街头的女性。少数族裔占比很高，样本中67.5%是非洲裔美国人，6%是西班牙裔美国人。无家可归的原因被表述为多种因素的组合，如失业、家庭问题或健康问题。在披露有受虐史的受访者（n = 59）中，73.8%表示这发生在无家可归之前。文中还探讨了开发创新社区护理系统以满足这一群体需求的意义。
