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Root cause of homelessness
Homeless problem in canada
Introduction to homeless and mental health issues
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Why do people who are homeless face barriers to health care? What are the strategies to facilitate Health care system in Canada? Homelessness is an important issue everywhere throughout the world and the reason for homelessness can be different for each individual. It can be low-income salary, mental disability, or not being able to afford a house. However, these people also experience barriers to accessing health care in Canada. Some of the barriers are: having regular family doctor, facing discrimination and lack of community support, and/or not having health insurance. These problems can exacerbate people’s homeless experience. First what is the definition of homelessness? There are two kinds of homelessness, “Absolute homelessness”, …show more content…
Lack of health care coverage is an issue for most homeless people in the United States. Despite a fact that Canada has universal health system meaning that everybody cover, numerous homeless don 't have evidence of coverage or health insurance card because their identification has been lost or stolen. In Toronto, 7% people who are homeless report having been refused because they did not represent health care cad or health insurance. Moreover, many people who are homeless don 't fill prescription they have received because they don 't have any insurance coverage Therefore they can afford the cost of prescription (P. …show more content…
Extensive examination distinguishes that homeless youth encounter a variation of mental illness including post-traumatic anxiety issue, and psychiatric issue. In Toronto (Ontario) study found that street youth showed large amounts of misery, nervousness, and paranoia. They are in danger of being sexual abuse as well. Therefore, depression and other psychiatric issue among homeless youth are more than general population (p. 45). Eggertson, L (2007) points out, people who are homeless will probably experience mental illness than the overall public, and accordingly they use emergency department. A new report by the Canadian institution for health argues, there is a connection between mental illness, homelessness and poverty. “It 's not clear whether homelessness increases a person 's likelihood of becoming mentally ill, or whether poverty in general and homelessness specifically result from mental illness, in some cases compromised mental health and mental illness can be both a risk for and an outcome of
Although homelessness and mental illness are two separate experiences, they have similar starts. Those that suffer from infantile misfortune are probable to becoming homeless by the time they are adults and could have physical or mental health difficulties (Montgomery et al. S265). Having a history of abuse, being a woman, and long periods of homelessness are big factors in the development of a mental illness (Helfrich et al. 116). The victimization state of mind experienced by many homeless is detrimental in why they cannot cope with their current situation. This also means that they could focus too much on one thing and become hysterical or paranoid. Witnessing a traumatic event is increased by homelessness and is more likely to cause mental disorders (qtd. in Helfrich et al. 116). Illnesses like PTSD are linked directly to the victim seeing a traumatic scene (Helfrich et al...
Youth homelessness in Ontario is not a new phenomenon, it has become more and more severe over the past 20 years. “One third of homeless individuals on the streets are under the age of 25”(Cino, Rose). It is a significant social justice issue in Canada. Within our community people are increasingly aware of the sight of youth sleeping in parks, asking for money and sitting on sidewalks. Youth homelessness in Ontario is primarily caused by tragic life occurrences such as abuse, illness or unemployment.
According to Lee Tunstall, homelessness is a social problem that “has been growing since the 1970’s” (2009, para.1) and has caught the attention of both the Canadian government and the general public (Tunstall, 2009) . Predominantly, the homeless are individuals or families with no permanent residence who also lack the resources or abilities necessary to arrange for their own adequate housing and living (Stearman, 2010). This matter affects a diverse demographic of the Canadian public. In 2003, the Toronto report card on housing and homelessness reported that out of 32,000 people who used homeless shelters, 15% were families, 22% were youths between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four, 18% were single women and 48% were single men (2003).
We need to ask our selves what causes homelessness, why are so many youth involved with homelessness and what can we change so that the homelessness problem in Canada lessens? Many people put the issue of homelessness aside because there are many programs that people can go to so that they can get help but not all people have the capability to push themselves to turn their lives around. The basic needs in your own life like food, water, personal hygiene and a place to sleep are something that the homeless do not have. Everywhere we look nowadays you see homeless people including in the streets of Toronto, which is said to have one the highest homelessness populations in Canada.
Many believe that a common thread among the homeless is a lack of permanent and stable housing. But beyond that, the factors leading to homelessness and the services that are needed are unique according to the individual. To put them into one general category ? the homeless- suggests that people are homeless for similar reasons and therefore a single solution is the answer. Every homeless person shares the basic needs of affordable housing, adequate incomes and attainable healthcare. But a wide range of other unmet needs cause some people to become or remain homeless which include drug treatment, employment training, transportation, childcare and mental health services (Center 8.)
Zlotnick, C., Zerger, S., & Wolfe, P. B. (2013). Health care for the homeless: What we have learned in the past 30 years and what's next. American Journal of Public Health, 103(2), 199-205.
Douglass, R., Torres, R., Surfus, P., Krinke, B., & Dale, L. (1999). Health Care Needs and Services Utilization Among Sheltered and Unsheltered Michigan Homeless. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Undeserved, 5-18.
Homelessness is one of the biggest issues society (Unites States) faces today. Homelessness is caused by lack of affordable housing, economic situations and decline in federal funding for low income families and the mentally ill. A homeless person is defined as an individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether the individual is a member of a family) including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private (shelters) facility that provides temporary living accommodations and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing. This definition of housing is used by the U.S Department of Healt...
Tyler, Kimberly A., PhD., Lisa Kort-Butler, and Alexis Swendener M.A. "The Effect of Victimization, Mental Health, and Protective Factors on Crime and Illicit Drug use among Homeless Young Adults." Violence and victims 29.2 (2014): 348-62. ProQuest. Web. 2 May 2014. .
Mental health disorders and substance use disorders are apparent within the population of individuals who are homeless. Mental health disorders and substance use disorders have varying factors that can cause a person to develop each disorder separately. People can often suffer immensely from each one individually. Mental health and substance use disorders can cause significant distress in the lives of those diagnosed. The opposite can also be said that significant distress can cause mental health and substance use disorders. The difference depends on a number of factors such as genetics, environment, resiliency, gender, and age. However, recovery from homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorders is possible if the right resources are available.
Lee et al. (2010) state living on the streets can increase social instability and drug abuse. These two interferences may ignite or resurface a person’s mental health problem. Roche (2004) says there is a significant relationship between homelessness, mental health, and physical health. A person with a mental health issue may possible neglect their physical health. McMahon (2009) outlines treatment a client who had poor physical, mental health and homelessness. Mental health issues do not predetermine poor physical health, but may be a related factor. Strine et al.(2012) outline studies on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) making connections to mental health issues and substance use while Montgomery, Cutuli, Evan-Chase, Treglia and Culhane (2013) makes a connection between ACE, h...
There are many other cases of why the homeless are homeless like domestic violence, mental illness, addictions, and unaffordable health care. Homelessness is a problem which has been caused by many different aspects but mainly money because of massive unemployment rates. A hidden aspect to homelessness that we may not think of is ...
Homelessness is a major public health problem throughout the United States due to increasing income disparities.1 About 650,000 people are homeless on any given day.2 Homelessness not only affects individuals, but families which include adults, children who may also experience mental illness, disabilities, or substance abuse.3 Homelessness is correlated with mental illness, substance abuse as well as loss of employment, poor health and, limited access to resources. While the state budget immediately considers fund housing initiatives to solve chronic homelessness it may not be the most efficient policy that this population needs. Housing does not provide necessary health services, may offer unequal aid to individuals and families, and may not be a priority for those individuals who are homeless. The state government should not fund housing policies for the homeless.
Many homeless people do not have access to healthcare and they go many years without seeing a doctor. According to Fitzpatrick, “there is a clear and defined need for healthcare for homeless people and their families.” She is right, it todays society homelessness is just ignored by many people and has became a serious problem. Most of society does not know about the organizations that help the homeless. For example, Fitapatrick believes in a organization called The Opening Doors Project it is a group of nurses and other health professionals that look at substance abuse within the homeless community. Due to not seeing a doctor and the common knowledge of homeless people abusing drugs and alcohol, “homeless people can have complex and multiple health problems” (Who quoted it). Not everyone agrees with Fitzpatrick, “I am convinced that handouts are basically wrongheaded,” says Sherman. She believes giving anything to the homeless will not help change the homeless persons situation (Sherman). Sherman's advice does not make sence, ignoring the problem will not help either and without proper medical care there is no way to improve homeless health which will cause many people to die a unessary death. According to Hopper, “generative forces behind widespread homelessness runs deep and their correction will req...
Homelessness is a problem virtually every society suffers from. There are many things that cause people to become homeless, such as unemployment, relationship problems, and being evicted from ones domicile either by a landlord, friend or even a family member. However, with every cause there must be an effect. Some of the effects of one becoming homeless, besides the obvious change of lifestyle, are various health problems which often times may lead to death.