Health needs and access of homeless people.
Tiago Rocha Pinto, Beatriz Kaori Ianaba, Joice Vitória de Oliveira Palma and 2 others
PMID 41849509WHAT IT FOUND
Homeless men in a Brazilian shelter described primary health care as supportive but emergency services as disappointing.
Alcohol, drugs, violence and health problems shaped daily life. Only 12 men were interviewed, so this captures their experiences, not all homeless people.
Key findings
01Men described living on the streets as difficult, marked by cold, rain, danger, poor sleep, police prejudice and family shame.
02They reported positive feelings about primary care and street outreach, and discontent about emergency services.
03Daily health concerns included alcohol and other drug use, violence on the body, and reported conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, tuberculosis and hepatitis C.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 12 men were interviewed, so the themes cannot be treated as representative of all homeless people. No women were present at the shelter during data collection, so women's experiences are missing. Participants were recruited from a sheltered service, and the authors state that shelter users differ from people living rough, which may bias access findings. The study used convenience sampling at one municipality, so transferability is limited. This is a qualitative study of meanings and experiences; it does not test whether any health service or nursing action improves outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence about all homeless people. The study interviewed 12 men at one shelter, and no women were present, so it describes those men's experiences, not a population-wide pattern.