FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisation Working with the Homeless, has issued two policy statements calling health professionals and policy makers to create an effective health policy framework taking into account special health needs of homeless people.
At the same time, WHO European Office has given clear guidance on the same topic: WHO guidance - How can healthcare systems effectively deal with the major health care needs of homeless people ?.
The conclusions recommend a multi-agency cooperation and a focus on primary health care system: “Access to primary heath care is a prerequisite for effective treatments”.
Homeless people do not have equal access to adequate healthcare and chronic mental and physical illness is widespread among homeless population across Europe. Moreover, health needs of homeless people are directly related to their chaotic lifestyle. They regularly suffer from chronic respiratory and cardiac ailments (asthma and tuberculosis are particularly worrying), various skin disease and mental health disorders (schizophrenia and depression).
In 2004, FEANTSA set up a specific working group on health and social protection. The conclusions are summarised in the above mentioned documents, which can be downloaded from the FEANTSA website.
