Seven in ten homeless people suffering from health problems, study says
More than 70% of homeless people suffer from one or more physical health condition, a report published today has revealed.
A study by Homeless Link found significantly more medical problems in the homeless population than the general public, with 35% not eating at least two meals a day and two thirds consuming more than the recommended amount of alcohol each time they drink.
The Unhealthy State of Homelessness, which looked at data from 2,500 individuals, found 41% of homeless participants reported having a long-term physical health problem, compared to 28% amongst the general population.
A total of 45% had been diagnosed with a mental health condition, compared to 25% amongst the rest of the population
Whereas just 5% of the general population reported taking drugs in the past month, 36% of homeless people reported doing so.
Reported incidences of stomach conditions is five times higher in the homeless population and diagnosis of depression is more than 10 times higher.
The report gave an indication of the toll homeless people with medical problems have on the NHS. Homeless people are four times more likely to seek help from acute NHS services than the rest of the population.
‘[This is] a situation which the government estimates to cost around £85m per year,’ the report said.
Rick Henderson, Homeless Link’s chief executive, said: ‘The link between not having a home and experiencing illness is clear, and homelessness must be recognised as a public health issue across the health system. This means working in partnership with charities to better identify an individual’s housing situation and taking action early to prevent health problems getting worse.
‘We know that when this happens, significant improvements can be made to people’s well-being, as well as reducing the impact on the public purse. We are calling for the political and financial backing to ensure this continues.’
