Connection between Homelessness and Health - Essay Example

? Section/# An Analysis Upon the Connection Between Homelessness and Health Although a great many sociological issues require expansive definitions and an interpretation of a variety of different theories in order to come to grips with what specific on upon its they portend, the definition of homelessness is one of the simplest and most profound that is likely to exist. According to a litany of different sources, homelessness can basically be understood with regards to the condition of having no home. Oftentimes, as a direct correlation to this level of understanding, the condition of homelessness invariably did notes and commentates the condition of living on the streets were being exposed the elements. As a means of understanding homelessness to a more full and complete extent, the analyst invariably comes to the realization that this social reality has a direct impact upon the level of health and overall longevity of the individuals that are forced to integrate with it. In such a way, homelessness has a profound impact upon society and health systems of the society due to the fact that the homeless individuals are oftentimes prone to a great number of both physical and emotional hardships that the general population is not. In such a way, this brief analysis will seek to discuss the spectrum of housing need, the reality of the fact that homeless groups are necessarily hard-to-reach and underrepresented within healthcare research and availability, the fact that the homeless cannot and should not be understood as a homogenous group, the impact and reality of the public health issues that homelessness necessarily portends, a discussion of some of the most common health problems that are associated with this group, the nonlinear determination that health has upon the homeless, the lack of understanding and appreciation for homelessness within the medical community (and the research community that is a part of it), the means by which homelessness necessarily reorients the individuals priorities to place a low emphasis upon health and well-being, and the painful and ultimately harmful level that social stigmas attached homelessness necessarily denote. One of the key compliments of homelessness within the current dynamic is necessarily with regards to the ever-increasing population and reduced levels of housing that are available around the globe. Due to the economic downturn, developers and governmental housing projects have necessarily all but ground to a standstill (Seiler & Moss, 2012). What this has created is a situation in which an ever-increasing demand for housing is not being met due to the fact that individuals within the current economy neither have the means more the wherewithal to seek out and purchase, or indeed continue to pay mortgages, on homes and properties that they would otherwise use for themselves and for their families. Although homelessness has traditionally been understood as a problem affecting only the very lowest class within a society, the events of the past several years have highlighted and underscored the fact that homelessness can affect each and every individual within the system to a profound degree. From a societal interpretation of this particular drawback, it is the onus of governmental and state entities to ensure that the supply and demand for housing are being met in an equitable manner (Hwang et al, 2010). Though increased levels of government control with regards to the real estate industry is not something that many individuals within society would necessarily want to take place, the reality of the fact is that the current dynamic of economics take nation necessarily demands action on the part of these local, state and federal entities to ensure that the hemorrhaging problems associated with homelessness are ameliorated in the best means possible. Taking the issue closer to the topic of health and the means by which society integrates with an understanding of homelessness, the reader/analyst should understand that homeless people are almost invariably stereotypes and categorize in a way that is not amenable to either understanding or seeking to avert the societal ills that homelessness necessarily portends (Hurlbut, 2011). In short, some of these stereotypes necessarily involve a flawed societal interpretation that homelessness is a dynamic that is only represented within certain ethnicities, gender, or socioeconomic status. Although there are teacher in that exists within an understanding and interpretation of homelessness, these transit should not be extrapolated to define something other than what they represent. Beyond merely incorrectly and unfairly stereotyping homeless individuals into pre-categorized understandings, another level of harm that is done with such an approach is with regards to the means by which these individuals can be integrated with an helped. Ultimately, the reason that the analysis has thus far been so concentric upon defining homelessness is due to the fact that a faulty understanding of definition of homelessness necessarily constrains the degree to which any level of change or societal health perspective this problem can be affected (Vijayaraghavan et al, 2011). As such, by broadening and defining the term in a way that is conscious of the many exhibitions of homelessness that exists within society, and the world for that matter, the individual, and the policymaker, is approach the subject with something of a blank slate; thereby greatly assisting the process of understanding and amelioration. The reality of the fact is that homeless groups are necessarily hard-to-reach and underrepresented within healthcare research and availability. Whereas the reader can doubtless consider a litany of studies that it been performed on individual suffering from bronchitis, lung cancer, AIDS, or a variety of other diseases that are represented within a extent to society, a level of focus upon the homeless as a unique group unto themselves (exhibiting a level of diseases that are not representative of the remainder of the population) is hardly ever attempted (Canavan et al, 2012). In such a way, the reader can come to a full appreciation for the lack of integration an understanding that current healthcare scholarship and societal appreciation for the impacts of homelessness directly correlates to the means by which the exhibition of homelessness and the health issues associated with it can hope to be corrected (Feske et al, 2013). This of course represents the fundamental drawback and unit of analysis that this particular essay will seek to reference with regards to raising this issue to a higher level of visibility and seeking to correct many of the societal ills and health problems most directly related to homelessness. Although the analyst may be quick to point to the fact that homeless individuals only make up a small fraction of the general population, there are two salient rebuttals to this approach that must be discussed. The first rebuttal is with regards to the fact that the growing numbers of homeless, as a result of the economic meltdown, have been able to impacts disproportionately upon the means by which the system is able to speak to the needs of all societal shareholders (Forchuk et al, 2008). The second salient rebuttal of course regards the fact that recent scholarship into the subject has noted that the homeless account for a disproportionately large number of health related issues within society; as compared to their overall population level. This should come as no surprise to the analyst due to the fact that the homeless do not have the same access to proper environmental conditions, Healthcare Services, medication, proper nutrition, money, or shelter. Each of these determinants necessarily means that the homeless population will continue to represent a disproportionate level of healthcare services within the environment (Notaro et al, 2013). Therefore, from both a moral/ethical standpoint as well as in monetary standpoint, it is within society’s best interest to seek to understand and ameliorate the issue of homelessness to a greater degree. In so doing, a dual benefit to society will necessarily be engendered. Not surprisingly, as a result of being exposed to the elements and living a life that is devoid of many of the resources that the remainder of society take for granted, homeless individual sufferer from a very specific subset of health issues that generally affect the remainder of society in a much reduced manner. Not surprisingly, one of the primary health concerns that faced homelessness with regards to mental health. Although it might be understood that mental health issues are necessarily the causal factor for many individuals being homeless, it should also not be ignored that the mere process of being homeless necessarily engenders a greatly increased risk of developing a litany of mental health issues (John & Law, 2011). When one considers the fact that individuals who are homeless have no safety net, no expectation of privacy, are harshly treated both by their peers and individuals within society, it comes as little to no surprise that some of the key mental health issues plaguing this group are with relation to excessive compulsive disorders, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, depression, and a litany of others. Notwithstanding this, individuals within homeless communities are oftentimes also plagued by substance abuse problems. Again, a two-pronged approach must be understood with regards to how and why individuals within the homeless communities around the globe often gravitate towards substance abuse. The first of these is necessarily the fact that substance abuse is a means of dulling and alleviating that day in and day out pain of hunger, rejection, sadness, and many of the other emotions that are exhibited within homeless populations. Secondly, it is often the case that drug addicts have squandered what little savings or prestige they had left and find themselves living on the streets with nothing in their possession. With regards to physiological health and the means by which the environment that the homeless live in impacts upon their bodies, it must be understood that bronchitis and pneumonia are one of the main causes of death and one of the most prevalent forms of disease that is found within this community (Zlotnick & Zerger, 2009). Naturally, this is the result of being exposed to the elements and not having proper sleeping accommodations, clothing, or many of the other tools that can be used to stave off such infection. Similarly, a life on the streets necessarily involves a high number of wins and skin infections which, if left untreated, can ultimately lead to further and more serious infections and even possibly death. Whereas the preceding analysis has placed a high level of focus upon the means by which the environment impacts upon the individual, it must also be understood that the perspective of the homeless is generally oriented in a different means than is the perspective of those individuals who are not. Although this may seem quite obvious, the importance of such an understanding is with regards to the means by which the homeless necessarily reorients their priorities in place a low emphasis upon health and well-being. As a means of survival, careful attention to nutrition, diet and exercise, regular checkups, and monitoring of any potential problems takes a backseat to the daily need for survival. Within such a construct, it is readily understood that the individual who is homeless will place in much increased emphasis upon providing for themselves and a far decreased level of emphasis upon seeking to administer to their individual healthcare needs (Davis, 2012). This serves as something of a perfect storm with relation to the means by which the healthcare systems around the world can administer to the unique problems that this group has. Although it is likely and oftentimes exhibited at the homeless makeup a very large and disproportionate percentage of the individuals admitted into emergency care, they make up unbelievably and disproportionately small number of individuals that seek to tend to any preventative care measures that might be offered. Within such an understanding, it is easy for the reader to see why the healthcare system as such is placed under and unbelievably high level of stress due to the facts that it is much more difficult to alleviate healthcare problems once they have reached a stage in which they must necessarily be treated; as compared to the ability of healthcare professionals to seek to administer to the needs of an individual who is come in to their office in the hopes of staving off or reducing the evidence of a potential for currently existing problem (Hudson & Nandy, 2012). Another means by which homelessness necessarily impacts upon health care and the availability of healthcare to the affected population is with regards to the stigma of homelessness which has already been discussed. Although the current system strides to make itself available to each and every shareholder within society, the fact of the matter is that a large number of homeless people feel so left out of society and so far removed from the services that a society can offer them that they tend to dismiss these out of hand as somehow not for them (Coker et al, 2009). In such a way, it is clear to understand why many of the individuals represented within the homeless communities of the world tend to shun the representation of the current system due to a feeling of rejection and scorn within society as a whole. Homelessness is not a convenient concept for most individuals to integrate with due to the fact that it requires the individual to realize that complete poverty, inequality, and want exist even within the most prosperous nations on earth. All too often, individuals have been tempted to sweep issues like poverty and homelessness under the rug by focusing on other social issues that are more glamorous and/or can provide a greater level of change per pound invested (Campbell & Lloyd, 2012). As a function of performing the research that has informed this particular research paper, the student has come to an overall understanding with regards to the level and extent to which homelessness effects individuals within the society and the means by which systemic health is affected as a result of these realities. In this way, the true level of the unspoken nature of the homeless problem and some of the tell-tale health concerns that are endemic to these populations has been integrated. Further, the research has noted that a full range of medical conditions plague the homeless population of the United Kingdom and elsewhere throughout the world. Many of these conditions are as a direct result of the exposure and lack of shelter that these individuals must integrate with on a daily basis; however, some of them are born out of the psychological effects and temptations that the homeless condition necessarily brings (Oudshoorn, 2013). Accordingly, some of the literature that was read as a means of informing this particular piece pointed to the increased incidence of foot problems, tuberculosis, upper respiratory tract infections, hypothermia, substance abuse, mental health, infestations, and a litany of other chronic diseases among individuals who can be considered homeless. This is especially important not from merely a social justice frame of view but also with regards to the overall cost that such a reality presents the system. Whereas the social injustice of homelessness itself is cause for concern, the overall level of funding that is necessary to attend to all of the medical needs that this population represents is exorbitantly expensive; so much so that as a function of the research that was done for this brief response, the author began to question whether or not it would be financially beneficial to the government and shareholders within society to seek to allocate an increased level of funding in helping to stamp out homelessness instead. Ultimately, the situation is so grave and represents hardship for so many; far beyond the aspect of being without a home or having to go without certain amenities that many others within society so often take for granted. In conclusion, as a result of the information that has been reviewed with relation to homelessness, the reader can and should come away with several strong understandings. The first of these is the fact that homelessness disproportionately affects the most at risk individuals within society. Secondly, homelessness disproportionately affects the families with young children as a result of the increased financial strain that having children places upon the already at risk family. Thirdly, as a result of this homelessness, the level and extent to which key medical conditions are exhibited within this large and seemingly ever growing population is vast. Finally, from the research that has been performed and the information that has been gleaned, it is the understanding of this student that the situation of homelessness, more than just being a societal ill that is unseemly, represents a festering problem which not only serves to make miserable the lives of the individuals that have to live within such a reality but also places an impossible difficult financial strain on the medical establishment. 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