Event Title
Health Status of Homeless People and Their Own Perspectives
Presentation Type
Oral and/or Visual Presentation
Presenter Major(s)
Anthropology, Biomedical Sciences
Mentor Information
Azizur Molla
Department
Anthropology
Location
Kirkhof Center 2263
Start Date
11-4-2012 11:30 AM
Keywords
Health, Human Rights, Social Science
Abstract
According to the 2009-2011 report of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 636,017 people experienced homelessness on a given night. An ethnographic survey and semi-structured interviews were used to obtain life histories and ethnographic data on personal health and demographic characteristics from homeless individuals living in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. This study has answered questions such as: What are the causes of homelessness?, What factors contribute to poor health of the study population? What are the negative effects of homelessness on health? Preliminary findings show that 51.4% of the individuals reported barriers in obtaining proper health care while more than 70% have reported one or more health problems. The study findings will be helpful to design a socially suitable healthcare service delivery system to serve homeless population in downtown Grand Rapids as well as other US downtown areas.
Health Status of Homeless People and Their Own Perspectives
Kirkhof Center 2263
According to the 2009-2011 report of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 636,017 people experienced homelessness on a given night. An ethnographic survey and semi-structured interviews were used to obtain life histories and ethnographic data on personal health and demographic characteristics from homeless individuals living in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. This study has answered questions such as: What are the causes of homelessness?, What factors contribute to poor health of the study population? What are the negative effects of homelessness on health? Preliminary findings show that 51.4% of the individuals reported barriers in obtaining proper health care while more than 70% have reported one or more health problems. The study findings will be helpful to design a socially suitable healthcare service delivery system to serve homeless population in downtown Grand Rapids as well as other US downtown areas.