Hi to everyone,

I just want to react a bit to the question that was asked about
homelessness: is it a health issue ? For me, sure it is. I think that the
abstract show few reasons to this and we certainly have to consider them.

Let's take a look at few more examples:

1. When you consider that some studies have found that about 30 % of all
the homeless suffer of a chronic (and severe) mental disorder (for most
part schizophrenia) and that they don't receive any treatment at all, it's
easy to imagine consequences... For example, they often find themselves in
jail. In fact, this is often a kind of «survival criminality» (I have seen
people in jail because they stole a piece of cheese and then had to stay on
a forensic psychiatric department for months...). When «the disturbed
become  disturbing» we don't hesitate to send him away. But, what could
have been done to him before ? Homelessness certainly confront us to the
disparities between humans (kind of things that we don't really appreciate
to see).


2. Some studies (USA) have shown that about 20 % of the homeless in urban
areas are battered wives fleeing from their husbands. They don't know where
to go, in fear of their lives and they certainly don't receive the support
they should have.

3. In Québec city, we can see more and more of young adults, homeless (it
seems that a lot of them use to take drugs and are caught in a vicious
circle of delinquance, criminality, poverty,  etc.).

Homeless in a really complex situation. There's no doubt to me that it has
to do with health. On the other side, we use to say that homeless are not
«easy to help» because they often refuse what is offer to them (at least, I
can say that on a psychiatric point of vue). But on the other side,
probably that what we offer to them is not enough appropriate and adjust to
their needs. We have to adjust our interventions in consequences. Finally,
we could talk a lot of all the ethical issues in link with that and maybe,
some of you have any opinion about this ?

Thanks and have a nice day, Nancy Tremblay