Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Case study for mental health issues leading to homelessness
Mental health and the homeless population
How does poverty affect mental health
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Literature Review As proven in academic articles, the homeless population is exponentially high worldwide. While there are many factors that may be contributing to this problem, one of the biggest may be mental health problems. Whether it is the cost of treating a mental health problem or the nature of the mental health disorder itself, it seems to lead to being low-income or homeless. While there are some studies out there that have studied this phenomenon, there is still a great need for information related to mental health causing homelessness. This idea has led to the formation of this research project, which is searching for a correlation between mental health and the homeless or low-income population in order to understand it better …show more content…
Jenkins, Baingana, Ahmad, McDaid, and Atun (2011) explained the social, economic, human rights, and political challenges to global mental health. They utilized available studies to explain the relationship between mental health, poverty, and debt, the need for more health economics research on cost-effective interventions, policy and practice, and the role of mental health services in primary care. In summary, they explained that mental disorders impose a significant economic burden in high, middle, and low-income countries causing poverty to be both a determinant and a consequence of poor mental health. Inequalities in mental health are pervasive and may explain the poverty phenomenon. Mental health care needs to be more accessible especially for the low-income population. Cost effective techniques need to be researched in order to make this happen but the current research suggests that policy development and revision globally, as well as, primary care-led mental health system are what is needed to improve the mental health sector. Ngui, Khasakhala, Ndetei, and Roberts (2010) also discussed available research on the inequalities in treatment for mental disorders. They thoroughly discussed the pervasive occurrence of mental disorders and …show more content…
This is extremely important to know in order to treat these problems the appropriate way. While some solutions were suggested for these problems further research needs to be completed before a best practice intervention can be attained. Given the alarmingly high number of homelessness with mental health conditions, this issue cannot be ignored. This study will help bring about more information on this topic in order to better understand in order to be able to investigate a
Historically, mental health issues and homelessness have been viewed as separate issues which have been individually funded by states and cities. As more is learned about the statistical link and the apparent connection between the lack of mental health services and homelessness, more attention is being commanded to address this issue as one.
Sun, A., (2012). Helping homeless individuals with co-occurring disorders: The four components. National Association of Social Workers, 57(1), 23-37.
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.
These disorders were rampant among the clients that were seeking help at the Tulsa Day Center. Combined with the lack of personal space, good hygiene, wellness, stress and lack of natural supports these disorders put these clients at a higher risk for other diseases and health related problems. According to an article published by the Institute of Medicine, “Not only can homelessness be a consequence of mental illness, but a homeless life may cause and perpetuate emotional problems. ….. The major mental illnesses, principally schizophrenia and the affective disorders (bipolar and major depressive disorders), are unlikely to result from the trauma of homelessness. Rather, they cause a level of disability and impaired social functioning in some people that, in the absence of adequate treatment and support, may lead to homelessness, which will then exacerbate these conditions (Fischer and Breakey, 1986)” (Institute of Medicine). This article links an individual’s mental health to the state of being homeless and the snowball effect it has on the struggles in their
Gerhard Buchkremer, “Prevalence of mental illness among homeless men in the community,” Original Paper Journal 40 (October 2004): 385, EBSCO Academic Search Premier (accessed February 29, 2012).
“3.5 million people will experience homelessness in a given year,”(Los Angeles Homeless Services). This shocking number is one of the sad truths in today’s society. Homelessness is caused by a wide range of things including financial issues. The life of a homeless person is hard and comes with set-backs and the constant need to overcome them. Homeless people go through many challenges in surviving without a home. They can suffer from health issues, hunger, and poor emotional well-being.
...icates that 95% of projects are catering for people with mental health needs and further research by Homeless Link shows that 7 out of 10 of homeless people experience one or more mental health problems. Their recent research findings on the mental health needs of homeless clients indicate that 44% of those with a mental health problem said they self medicate with drugs or alcohol; 35% of those with a mental health need said that they would like more support – including talking therapies and services for dual diagnosis; 60% of people in homelessness services have been found to be affected by complex trauma;14% of clients stated that they self-harm, compared with 4% of the population; one fifth of clients who had recently attended A&E had done so because of either mental health or self-harm; and only 10% of clients have additional support from mental health services.
This essay will discuss the health problems and health service issues that are associated with homelessness. Homelessness is an increasing concern as a public health issue in many western countries. This is mainly influenced by social factors which affects 100 million worldwide. (Badiaga, 2008). The legal definition of homelessness is associated with the right to a home, irrespective of the home condition and includes sleeping rough and sofa-surfing (Wilson and Mabhala, 2013). The 2002 Homelessness Act recommend the importance for housing authorities to assess and structure strategy for the homeless with different agencies involved to tackle problems such as employment, health, educational achievements and opportunities, also
After reviewing the literature, this author pinpointed several environmental, individual, and agent factors, which make up the epidemiologic triad, contribute to the topic of mental health in the homeless.
Imagine a man on the streets, who society has forgotten. This man emits the smell of garbage; he has not bathed in months. This man sits quietly mumbling to himself. To the outer world he is just one of the many homeless, but little does society know that this man has a mental illness as well. Homelessness and mental illness are linked. These two happenings have similar beginnings. Homelessness is influenced by drug and alcohol disuse, being homeless at a young age, money problems, and trauma symptoms. Mental illness is caused by many of the same things, but it can also happen at birth. The effects that each entity has on a person are comparable. Rehabilitation is a necessary process if a victim of homelessness and or mental illness wants to rejoin society. Homelessness and mental illness have similar, if not the same causes, effects, and rehabilitations.
Over the years it has become a national common characteristic of the entire nation. Not only does homelessness effect an individual’s health and well- being, but it effects society as a whole. Due to the fact that many people who are without shelter or everyday necessities tend to be looked upon as thieves, and criminals who are labeled as sick and mentally ill. Many states who claim majority to be men. It is documented that 1/3rd of the homeless population has been issued to suffer from some sort of mental illness. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration mental illness was ruled as the third largest root to homelessness for many single adults. The hypothesis was conclude after a survey was collected in 2008, it showed that in 25 cities around 1/8th of cities claim that mental illness is ranked to be the peak to homelessness and 38 % suffer from alcohol and numbers increase when it comes to alcohol abuse. In most case these single adults who suffer from mental illness are not able to maintain house hold management. Those who are of urban landscape show a greater number of homeless who reside in that current state. That means that there are roughly around 62.9 % of people who suffer from mental health are documented for treatment and out of that percentage around 26 % mental individual make of the individuals staying in shelters and the rest of the individuals find themselves partaking in the street life. And then there are those who go
mental illness in these women. As Angela a current resident of Valley House put it, “They [Valley House] gives you hope when you feel like there is no hope”.
If more clinics were to be established specializing in the mental health of the homeless, then the attention could be given to them that they need. E. Fuller Torrey, author of “The Homeless Mentally Ill Should Be Forced To Receive Treatment” describes the habits and reasons for the incredible amount of mentally ill homeless:
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.
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.)