Online Program

289314
A public health approach to street medicine


Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 10:50 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.

Kerk Allen, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Jennifer Eckersley, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda
Rhonda Holloway, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Thu Pham, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda
Jessica Nguyen, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda
Molly Dougherty, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda
Katherine Jones, L, Loma Linda
In 2012, the city of San Bernardino declared chapter 9 bankruptcy. The homeless population in San Bernardino County rose from 1,736 in 2009 to 2,876 in 2011, an increase of 39.6 %.1,3 Currently, twenty-six percent of residents live below the poverty line and 46% of residents receive some form of aid such as Cal Fresh or Medi-Cal.2 In 2011, a team of medical students from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine began providing basic healthcare services to homeless adults living in and around San Bernardino, CA. Under the supervision of licensed physicians, the students provide general health assessments, vaccinations, dispense medication, and refer patients to other healthcare providers. Students from LLU's School of Public Health have joined the Street Medicine Outreach in a student-to-student effort, bringing a public health approach to better understand the determinants of poor health among the homeless and their access to resources. A comprehensive mixed-method assessment was conducted, including literature reviews, data analysis from secondary sources, knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPS) survey, windshield survey, focus groups and key informant interviews with homeless individuals, as well as healthcare providers, members of law enforcement, and shelter workers. The assessment results will be shared with the homeless community and LLU Street Medicine Outreach and other service providers to help develop more strategic, focused programs. The SPH team will continue to collect data to extend the reach of Street Medicine program, working to deepen healthcare practitioners' understanding of the challenges faced by San Bernardino's homeless population.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the methods for assessing the needs and assets of the homeless population in San Bernardino.

Keyword(s): Homeless Health Care, Homelessness

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am public health student at Loma Linda University. I have been working with the Street Medicine outreach project for almost a year. My group and I have completed numerous key informant interviews with homeless individuals and service providers, knowledge, attitudes and practice survey with homeless individuals both in shelters and those living on the streets, detailed literature reviews, data analysis from secondary sources, windshield survey and focus group.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.