FEANTSA Toolkit and Briefing on Alcohol and Homelessness

Based on the input from FEANTSA’s working group on health and social protection, the briefing paper reveals that there are generally high levels of substance misuse among homeless people and alcoholism appears to be a chronic problem among people experiencing homelessness. A great proportion of the rough sleeper population is alcohol reliant or has alcohol abuse problems, and they are more likely to die from unnatural causes, such as drugs or alcohol poisoning, than the general population.

Aside from the problem of dependency itself, alcohol abuse brings a range of serious secondary illnesses, such as hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, pancreatitis or diabetes. Long-term abuse carries a significant risk of developing mental health problems, while existing mental health problems may be aggravated.

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FEANTSA

FEANTSA Alcohol and Homelessness Toolkit