Mental Health and Physical Health

Homeless people suffer from high rates of mental and physical health problems exacerbated by living on the streets and in shelters. The lack of residential stability makes healthcare delivery more complicated. Health conditions that require ongoing treatment—such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, addition, and mental illness—are difficult to treat when people are living in shelter or on the streets. Homeless people often lack access to preventative care, waiting until a trip to the emergency room is a matter of life or death. These emergency room visits are costly. Additionally, when homeless people become ill, they often do not receive timely treatment.

In addition to chronic health problems, approximately half of homeless people suffer from mental health issues. At a given point in time, 45 percent of homeless report indicators of mental health problems during the past year, and 57 percent report having had a mental health problem during their lifetime. About 25 percent of the homelessness population has serious mental illness, including such diagnoses as chronic depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, and severe personality disorders.

Many homeless people have problems with drug and alcohol use. In a 1996 survey, 46 percent of the homeless respondents had an alcohol use problem during the past year, and 62 percent had an alcohol use problem at some point in their lifetime. Thirty-eight percent had a problem with drug use during the past year, and 58 percent had a drug use problem during their lifetime.