Introduction. In Italy, as in the rest of the world, the number of homeless people is increasing considerably. Many of them suffer from chronic conditions, mental health problems and addiction to alcohol, drugs or smoking, and need complex medical care. Their health status is often exacerbated by greater difficulty in accessing primary care. The aim of the present study was to assess health conditions of homeless people living in Palermo, Southern Italy, and to find ways to limit the spread of common infectious diseases that can be prevented by vaccination. Materials and Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed. The questionnaire was structured into two parts including an introduction with socio-demographic information, and a second part investigating health status, chronic diseases and vaccinations. A multivariable logistic regression model was used and adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR) are presented. Results. The sample consisted of 52 homeless, 35 (67.3%) of whom were male and the most represented age class (55.8%) was < 50 years of age. The average age of the sample was 49.6 years (SD ± 15.2) and 88.5% were born in Italy. A multivariable logistic regression model based on 52 observations was used. The analysis showed that the female gender was significantly associated with: not performing regular physical activity (aOR 4.14, 95% C.I. 1.20 - 14.32, p = 0.025), suffering from chronic diseases (aOR 3.52, 95% C.I. 1.02 - 12.11, p = 0.046) and taking medicines (aOR 3.95, 95% C.I. 1.14 - 13.64, p = 0.030). Conclusions. This particularly fragile population is exposed to diseases that are largely preventable or curable through a wider and more early access to care by local health facilities with a subsequent reduction in the worsening of clinical outcomes and related social costs.
Introduzione. Un tempo "barboni", oggi senzatetto, il loro numero sta aumentando considerevolmente negli ultimi anni. Molti di loro soffrono di malattie croniche, problemi di salute mentale, dipendenze e necessitano di cure mediche complesse. Il loro stato di salute è spesso esacerbato per maggiori difficoltà nell'accesso alle cure primarie rispetto alla popolazione generale. Materiali e Metodi. È stato distribuito un questionario autosomministrato al fine di valutare le condizioni di salute dei senzatetto che vivono a Palermo. È stato utilizzato un modello di regressione logistica multivariata calcolando gli Odds Ratios aggiustati (aOR). Risultati. Il campione è costituito da 52 senzatetto, di cui 35 (67,3%) maschi. La classe di età più rappresentativa (55,8%) ha un'età inferiore a 50 anni e l'88,5% è italiano. L'analisi ha mostrato che il sesso femminile è significativamente associato a: "non svolgere attività fisica regolare" (aOR 4.14, IC 95% 1,20 - 14,32, p=0,025), ad "avere malattie croniche" (aOR 3,52, IC 95% 1,02 - 12,11, p=0,046) e "ad assumere farmaci" (aOR 3,95, IC 95% 1,14 - 13,64, p=0,030). Conclusioni. La rilevanza e la complessità della situazione sociale dei senzatetto attira l'attenzione su questo fenomeno destinato ad avere un forte impatto sulle politiche e sui servizi sanitari. Questa fragile popolazione è esposta a malattie che sono in gran parte prevenibili o curabili attraverso un ampio e precoce accesso alle cure con conseguente riduzione del peggioramento degli esiti clinici e dei relativi costi sociali.
Health status, diseases and vaccinations of the homeless in the city of Palermo, Italy / Alagna, E.; Santangelo, O. E.; Raia, D. D.; Gianfredi, V.; Provenzano, S.; Firenze, A.. - In: ANNALI DI IGIENE MEDICINA PREVENTIVA E DI COMUNITÀ. - ISSN 1120-9135. - 31:1(2019), pp. 21-34. [10.7416/ai.2019.2255]
Health status, diseases and vaccinations of the homeless in the city of Palermo, Italy
Gianfredi V.;
2019-01-01
Abstract
Introduction. In Italy, as in the rest of the world, the number of homeless people is increasing considerably. Many of them suffer from chronic conditions, mental health problems and addiction to alcohol, drugs or smoking, and need complex medical care. Their health status is often exacerbated by greater difficulty in accessing primary care. The aim of the present study was to assess health conditions of homeless people living in Palermo, Southern Italy, and to find ways to limit the spread of common infectious diseases that can be prevented by vaccination. Materials and Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed. The questionnaire was structured into two parts including an introduction with socio-demographic information, and a second part investigating health status, chronic diseases and vaccinations. A multivariable logistic regression model was used and adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR) are presented. Results. The sample consisted of 52 homeless, 35 (67.3%) of whom were male and the most represented age class (55.8%) was < 50 years of age. The average age of the sample was 49.6 years (SD ± 15.2) and 88.5% were born in Italy. A multivariable logistic regression model based on 52 observations was used. The analysis showed that the female gender was significantly associated with: not performing regular physical activity (aOR 4.14, 95% C.I. 1.20 - 14.32, p = 0.025), suffering from chronic diseases (aOR 3.52, 95% C.I. 1.02 - 12.11, p = 0.046) and taking medicines (aOR 3.95, 95% C.I. 1.14 - 13.64, p = 0.030). Conclusions. This particularly fragile population is exposed to diseases that are largely preventable or curable through a wider and more early access to care by local health facilities with a subsequent reduction in the worsening of clinical outcomes and related social costs.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
