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Pediatric problems in a suburban shelter for homeless families
Insights
Hospital clinics partnering with family shelters improve health for homeless children and families. This collaboration addresses infectious disease risks and unmet medical needs, promoting a healthier shelter environment.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Family shelter residents face unique health challenges, including infectious disease transmission risks.
- A significant proportion of children and parents in shelters present with pre-existing medical conditions.
- Many shelter residents experience 'medical homelessness,' lacking consistent primary care access.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the health status of children and families residing in a family shelter.
- To evaluate the impact of a hospital-clinic and family-shelter affiliation.
- To identify medical needs and infectious disease concerns within the shelter population.
Main Methods:
- Pre-entry medical evaluations were conducted for children entering the shelter.
- Screening included stool analysis for enteric pathogens like Giardia lamblia.
- A formal liaison was established between a hospital-based clinic and the family shelter.
Main Results:
- 13% of screened children had Giardia lamblia detected.
- A wide range of pediatric issues were identified, including acute/chronic conditions and developmental problems.
- 58% of residents were classified as 'medically homeless' prior to the intervention.
Conclusions:
- Formal affiliation between hospital clinics and family shelters effectively addresses health disparities.
- This collaboration enhances the health environment within family shelters.
- Providing accessible medical services to shelter families is crucial for their well-being.
Abstract:
The experience of an affiliation between a hospital-based clinic and a family shelter is presented. The medical implications of family shelter residence include special issues related to the spread of infectious diseases, particularly to the neonate. Preentry medical evaluation revealed that a large proportion of children and their parents had one or more medical problems. Of 67 children screened before entrance, 13% [corrected] had Giardia lamblia detected in the stool. In addition to carriage of enteric pathogens, the range of pediatric problems encountered included a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions, unmet primary care needs, and developmental and school difficulties. Fifty-eight percent of shelter residents were found to be "medically homeless." Formal liaison between a hospital-based clinic and a family shelter was found to be an effective way to promote a healthy environment in the family shelter and to provide needed medical services to shelter families.