Improving Health Care Management in Primary Care for Homeless People: A Literature Review

Maeva Jego, Julien Abcaya, Diana-Elena Ștefan, Céline Calvet-Montredon and Stéphanie Gentile
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Maeva Jego: EA 3279 Research Unit—Public Health, Chronic Diseases and Quality of Life, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille CEDEX 5, France
Julien Abcaya: Department of General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille CEDEX 5, France
Diana-Elena Ștefan: Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Street Dionisie Lupu, Sector 1, 030167 Bucharest, Romania
Céline Calvet-Montredon: Department of General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille CEDEX 5, France
Stéphanie Gentile: EA 3279 Research Unit—Public Health, Chronic Diseases and Quality of Life, Faculty of Medicine, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille CEDEX 5, France

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: Background: Homeless people have poorer health status than the general population. They need complex care management, because of associated medical troubles (somatic and psychiatric) and social difficulties. We aimed to describe the main characteristics of the primary care programs that take care of homeless people, and to identify which could be most relevant. Methods: We performed a literature review that included articles which described and evaluated primary care programs for homeless people. Results: Most of the programs presented a team-based approach, multidisciplinary and/or integrated care. They often proposed co-located services between somatic health services, mental health services and social support services. They also tried to answer to the specific needs of homeless people. Some characteristics of these programs were associated with significant positive outcomes: tailored primary care organizations, clinic orientation, multidisciplinary team-based models which included primary care physicians and clinic nurses, integration of social support, and engagement in the community’s health. Conclusions: Primary health care programs that aimed at taking care of the homeless people should emphasize a multidisciplinary approach and should consider an integrated (mental, somatic and social) care model.

Keywords: homeless persons; primary health care; access to health care; health services accessibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:2:p:309-:d:131228

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