Homeless experts and some federal housing officials are sounding the alarm that the patchwork of government efforts to address the coronavirus outbreak risks leaving out one group of acutely vulnerable people: the homeless. In terms of isolation, it is too unclear what that looks like if you normally sleep on the streets. In this tough moment, when people should be turned away, not only it feels inhumane, but it is also a big public health risk, because where are they going to go?
The studies were identified using large-sized newspapers with international circulation RESULTS: With more cities suspecting community transmission of the novel coronavirus, people who sleep in shelters or hunker down outside already have a lower life expectancy and often have underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk if they develop COVID-19 (Global News, 2020). These people face lack of sleep, malnutrition, and "extreme stress levels just to meet their daily needs", all of which weakens the immune system. Along with mental illness or substance abuse disorders, they are "incredibly vulnerable to this virus".
Health organizations are well aware of the risks involved in mental health. A large population of homeless people experience their pain and psychological distress intermittently. For low-income patients, the various borderline situations related to health/illness involve growing expectations regarding the basic needs. This is a serious concern when linked to the pandemic.
Psychiatry research. 2020 Apr 13 [Epub ahead of print]
Modesto Leite Rolim Neto, Ricardo Inácio de Souza, Rosa Magda Martins Quezado, Elayne Cristina Santos Mendonça, Tallys Iury de Araújo, Dayse Christina Rodrigues Pereira Luz, Willma José de Santana, Juliana Ribeiro Francelino Sampaio, Poliana Moreira de Medeiros Carvalho, Tereza Maria Siqueira Nascimento Arrais, José Marcondes Macedo Landim, Claúdio Gleideston Lima da Silva
School of Medicine of Juazeiro do Norte - FMJ/Estácio, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil; School of Medicine, Federal University of Cariri - UFCA, Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. Electronic address: ., School of Medicine of Juazeiro do Norte - FMJ/Estácio, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil., Rigoberto Romero de Barros Maternity Hospital, Amontada, Ceará Brazil., Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine of ABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil; College of Juazeiro do Norte - FJN, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil., College of Juazeiro do Norte - FJN, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil., School of Medicine of Juazeiro do Norte - FMJ/Estácio, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil; School of Medicine, Federal University of Cariri - UFCA, Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil.