Introduction
The United States faces a problem it has yet to overcome. As shown in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, housing is a basic physiological requirement of each person (Watanabe & McNamara, 2023). It remains unfulfilled for many Americans and creates many issues in society. Homelessness leads to adverse outcomes for a large portion of the U.S. population by causing people to catch diseases and be threatened and degraded by others.
Homelessness in the United States
Statistics
The scope of this social issue can be seen through official data. In the United States, there are over 582,462 homeless persons, with the states most affected by this issue being California (0.44% of the entire population), Vermont (0.43%), and Oregon (0.42%) (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2023). The number of individuals who always live like this has also increased recently. Additionally, shelters do not serve all these people, as almost 40% cannot access these services (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2023). Therefore, the situation continues to worsen for many unhoused persons.
Demographics
People from all backgrounds can find themselves living on the streets. However, racial minorities fall into this state far more commonly, comprising over half of all unhoused people in the country (Fowle, 2022). Gender plays an important role as well, although all Americans can experience this problem. Men represent 68% of all homeless in the United States (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2023). The challenge relates to many long-standing inequalities.
Impact
The vast majority of people in such situations experience a decline in their mental and physical well-being. Mortality among those without shelter exceeds the national average because there are not enough facilities to support them (Allegrante & Sleet, 2021). Those who take refuge under bridges, in specialized shelters and temporary housing, or who form tent communities may become infected and easily spread common diseases.
Health Impact on the Population
A lack of housing leads to one’s almost complete exclusion from society and its benefits. Children cannot get educated, veterans do not receive psychiatric support, and people of color become stereotyped and mistreated (Allegrante & Sleet, 2021; National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2023). This impact leads to one’s inability to achieve better living conditions. They have to live in a filthy environment where it is easy to catch a virus.
In fact, statistics from the recent pandemic reveal that unhoused individuals are among the most vulnerable to such illnesses (Allegrante & Sleet, 2021). However, there is no easy route for them to avoid this outcome. The lack of income prevents unhoused individuals from finding a suitable place to address all this. Such people cannot afford healthcare services and leave their conditions untreated for a long time (Allegrante & Sleet, 2021).
Additionally, mental disorders tend to develop rapidly among people living on the streets. Substance abuse, depression, and loneliness are common among this group and worsen the quality of life even further (Fowle, 2022). Therefore, healthcare organizations must address this demographic’s concerns and challenges to alleviate their burden.
Conclusion
In summary, homelessness causes suffering to many Americans by exposing them to diseases, violence, and discrimination. Under-resourced and disadvantaged communities are threatened by it the most, which increases inequality within society. This problem is also racialized, as the majority of unhoused individuals are people of color. This challenge weighs down on people’s mental and physical health by removing their access to essential services. There is not enough support from others and the government for them.
References
Allegrante, J. P., & Sleet, D. A. (2021). Investing in public health infrastructure to address the complexities of homelessness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16).
Fowle, M. Z. (2022). Racialized homelessness: A review of historical and contemporary causes of racial disparities in homelessness. Housing Policy Debate, 32(6), 940-967.
National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2023). State of homelessness: 2023 edition.
Watanabe, M., & McNamara, D. S. (2023). The motivational utility of knowledge: Examining fundamental needs in the context of houselessness knowledge. Knowledge, 3(4), 642-661.