Nurses' attitudes toward homeless women: a barrier to change

Close to a third of the almost 4 million homeless persons in the United States are women. They have multiple physical and mental health problems directly attributable to their homelessness. Studies have indicated that their failure to seek health care is partially a function of the barrier created by negative attitudes of nurses toward homeless women. Strategies for changing nurses' attitudes, built on attitude change theory, include methods for increasing knowledge and experience in the treatment of homeless women.