WHERE HEALTH CARE FALLS INTO THE HIERARCHY OF NEEDS FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CARE

Abstract

Homeless individuals across the nation utilize health care services less than the general population. This disparity is due to the many barriers to health care access that homeless populations must face. The barriers to access vary in each area of the country depending on the current attitudes towards those who are homeless and also due to the available resources in each location. Lack of transportation, the bias of individual health care providers, and complications with insurance are all commonly reported barriers to access. This research aims to understand what barriers homeless individuals must overcome when accessing health care in the city of Tucson, Arizona. This study uses interpretive phenomenological analysis to analyze semi-structured interviews with homeless individuals at a service organization in Tucson in order to gain an understanding regarding what barriers exist. The resulting data are analyzed to understand the prioritization of health care in comparison to other competing needs such as food, shelter, and clothing, and improvements are suggested to make access to health care a more reasonable reality for the homeless population of Tucson.