Skin & foot problems Also according to Dr. Hwang's research: ”People living on the street are particularly prone to develop skin diseases such as cellulitis, impetigo, venous stasis disease, scabies and body lice.” The inability to shower often and maintain good hygiene often adds to existing health issues.
“Our study confirms that people experiencing homelessness have higher rates of diagnoses of most skin conditions e.g., psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, acne, scabies, and skin infections,” the study said.
These diseases are usually related to poor foot hygiene, inadequate footwear, and excessive moisture. Overcrowding in shelters may also increase the risk of cutaneous infections due to exposure to potential pathogens.
In addition to a lack of proper hygiene and crowded living conditions, people who experience homelessness are more likely to contract infectious diseases when living in shelters or encampments and communal environments with high concentrations of people.
Not all homeless people smell, and plenty of people with homes do. Many homeless people don't have access to a private bathroom where they can shower every day, or do laundry regularly.
Social isolation and risk of incarceration
Clearly, living without material comforts is only one part of the plight. The mental struggle caused by isolation and abuse is often an even more difficult burden to bear.
Overall, the average life expectancy of homeless people is 42 to 52 years old. If assistance isn't available until someone reaches 65 years old, then he or she may be dead by then.
In addition, venous stasis of the lower extremities (i.e., poor circulation because of varicose veins) caused by prolonged periods of sitting or sleeping with the legs down predisposes homeless people to dependent edema (swelling of the feet and legs), cellulitis, and skin ulcerations.
The risks of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and hepatitis C associated with homelessness have been well described [3–5]. For each of these, homelessness has been shown to contribute substantially to the population burden of disease [6–8].
Skin sores refer to a type of skin lesion, like ulcers. Commonly, the terms sore and lesion are used to refer to the same type of abnormal skin.
Harlequin ichthyosis
Harlequin ichthyosis affects only one in 300,000 newborns. Features of the disease include: skin abnormalities at birth. very thick, shiny patches or plates of skin.
Dermatitis neglecta is a condition that results from inadequate frictional cleansing leading to accumulation of corneocytes, sebum and sweat ultimately resulting in hyper-pigmented patch or verrucous plaque. Recognizing this condition avoids unnecessary, aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Important examples of EPSD include scabies, tungiasis, pediculosis, hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans (HrCLM), myiasis, and cutaneous strongyloidiasis [6,7,8,9,10,11]. These EPSD have wide geographical distribution and are commonly associated with poverty and poor hygiene [1].
Without treatment, you can develop permanent problems in your legs and feet due to insufficient blood flow in these areas. Changes in your skin can lead to leg ulcers, deep sores that are prone to infection.
I've certainly seen some houseless folks speak to themselves because of schizophrenia or some other mental health issue. But most of the time the answer is simply: loneliness. When you are on the street, you are isolated, separated from people you consider to be your kind of “normal”.
Across both household and shelter types, nearly three-quarters of people experiencing homelessness were adults aged 25 or older (428,859 people), 18% were children under the age of 18 (106,364 children).
Being homeless is difficult, but if you find yourself lucky enough to be living indoors in a shelter, you have eliminated a constant issue - maintaining your personal appearance. Keeping clean and presentable are key elements in getting ahead and getting to where you need to be.
To help them endure rainy, cold weather, people experiencing homelessness depend on donations of winter coats, warm hats and gloves, socks and blankets. Warm, nutritious meals are also crucial for those in need to help combat the negative effects of cold weather.
Abandoned Buildings / alleyways / doorways / verandas: People sleep in abandoned buildings to try and have a longer term place to stay - especially during winter. With thick walls and a temporary roof over their head. Cars/Vans: Some people sleep and live inside their cars.
However, it's important to note that not all people experiencing homelessness have or will ever develop a mental health condition. Yet, for those who do, contrary to the stereotype of the person experiencing homelessness suffering with psychosis, depression and suicidal behaviours are more commonly reported.