Anesthesia for the homeless

Healthcare for the homeless is often crisis-oriented and fragmented. Homelessness may be associated with ongoing healthcare problems such as tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and substance abuse. The purpose of this study was to identify the anesthesia services required by homeless individuals from an urban area. The anesthesia records of all individuals (N = 40) identified as being homeless and receiving care at one New York City medical center during a 12-month period were reviewed. Approximately one-half (47.5%) of the 40 patients in the study did not require general anesthesia but intubation only. Most of these intubations were for cardiac/respiratory arrests of unknown cause, drug/alcohol overdose, or multiple trauma. Of the 21 patients requiring surgery, 15 had emergency procedures such as splenectomy, appendectomy, exploratory laparotomy, incarcerated hernia repair, and reduction of fractures. The findings of this study support previous research which indicates that most homeless people enter into care for emergency rather than elective services.