Medical centres for the homeless in Hamburg  – consultation reasons and diagnoses compared to primary care patients in the regular health care system

ConclusionPatients consulting the MCH suffer from medical conditions typical for the homeless, namely skin diseases, wounds, injuries and behavioural disorders due to alcohol abuse, but also from “typical” symptoms in regular GP care as cough or lower back symptoms. Consultation reasons mostly are acute illnesses. Chronic diseases are equally present in regular GP and MCH patients, but pose a great challenge for the homeless among other things due to their irregular contact with the heal th care system. The lack of health insurance poses the greatest hurdle to the integration of the homeless into the regular health care system.
Source: Archives of Public Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research