Homelessness, Healthcare, and Life
Expectancy
According
to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs the most fundamental need individuals have to
meet is Safety and Security. Included in
safety and security are health, employment, property, family and social
ability. When this need is not met you
are unable to move up the hierarchy of need to Love and Belonging, Self-Esteem,
and Self Actualization.
When
being houseless you are unable to meet these basic needs listed below. Health is just one of these fundamental
needs. Oregon in 2017 had the fourth
highest rate of homelessness in the nation.
The life expectancy for someone who is homeless is 47 compared to the
life expectancy average of 76.1 years.
Just being homeless and not having the safety and security of a place to
call home and the comforts that come with running water, heat, and shelter
decreases life expectancy by 30 years.
This statistic is heartbreaking when combined with the information that
72% of the homeless in Portland report a chronic disabling condition.
There
are many barriers that prevent the homeless from getting the healthcare they
need. The biggest barrier is getting to
the appointment. The Portland Street
Medicine team has found a way to combat this with access and continuity. The Portland Street Medicine team
consistently shows up with supplies to help treat the homeless in
Portland. Without this access and continuity,
the homeless are at an increased risk for late diagnosis, uncontrolled chronic
disease, as well as hospitalization for preventable diseases.
Portland
Street Medicine found a way to bridge the divide in access to healthcare by
going to the streets and meeting people where they are. If you would like to read more access the
link below.
Sources:
The Problem —
Portland Street Medicine
Life
Expectancy in the U.S. Dropped for the Second Year in a Row in 2021 (cdc.gov)
Read more
about it here:
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