The problem of homelessness is one that has a significant bearing on the health of the homeless, particularly homeless children. More than half of the homeless population in many cities consists of families with children, and the lack of a permanent home, a basic necessity for their growth and development, puts the children at risk in terms of their health ("Health Needs of Homeless Children and Families," 1996). Homeless children suffer from a range of acute problems, including upper respiratory tract infections, tooth decay, ear infections, scabies, and conjunctivitis, as well as a notably higher incidence of trauma-related injuries and chronic diseases such as asthma, sinusitis, visual and neurologic deficits, and bowel dysfunction ("Health Needs of Homeless Children and Families," 1996). Homeless children have iron deficiency anemia at a rate two to three times greater than that of children that are not homeless, and they tend to have an inadequate diet with too few calories and too much fast food ("Health Needs of Homeless Children and Families," 1996). Moreover, homelessness also brings with it a higher incidence of mental illness, drug abuse, and violence, all of which adversely affect children's health ("Social Determinants of Health," 2009, p. 43). Even more alarming, the homeless have "a greatly increased risk of death" and "suffer from a wide range of medical problems" (Hwang, 2001, p. 164). The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact homelessness on the health of adults and children and the interventions that have been and can be made to address the problem.
The historical significance of homelessness for children has always been substantial. According to Nancy A. Boxill (1990, p. 85), both women and children have always made up a "sizable portion" of the homeless population in America, from Colonial times to the present. Views about homelessness have undergone a transition over time, with p...