Health Status, Health Determinants, and Use of Preventive Services Among Frontline Workers in Homeless Services

Homeless service workers play a key role in addressing the social and health needs of people experiencing homelessness, yet little is known about their own health status and behaviors.

A nationwide survey of Hungarian homeless service workers (n = 548) was conducted using a short version of the European Health Interview Survey. The results were compared with age- and sex-adjusted data from the general Hungarian population.

Despite reporting good health, one-third of homeless service workers had long-standing health problems, with one-fourth experiencing activity limitations. Mild (29.1% vs 17.2%) and moderate (8.5% vs 4.7%) depressive symptoms were nearly twice as prevalent among service workers. They also reported lower daily consumption of fruits and vegetables (41.4% and 26.3% vs 57.0% and 45.4%) and a higher rate of daily smoking (35.4% vs 26.4%). Additionally, 59.3% were classified as overweight or obese. Participation in organized cancer screenings was higher among homeless service workers but stayed below 50% in both groups.

These findings can serve as a foundation for developing strategies to improve the health status of homeless service workers. Ultimately, this benefits both the workforce and the quality of services provided.