The health of the Nottingham homeless

This paper presents the findings of a survey of approximately 2,000 homeless individuals applying for shelter to statutory and voluntary sector agencies in Nottingham. The socio-demographic and economic characteristics of the sample are described, and are analysed in relation to reported health problems. The incidence of reported health problems amongst these homeless individuals is compared with that reported in the 1988 General Household Survey (GHS). Whilst the shelter applicants are reporting fewer health problems than the GHS population, because they are a considerably younger and thus healthier sample, subsets of the homeless with specific characteristics do indeed provide evidence of a disproportionate incidence of ill health.