On average a homeless person’s life is 36% shorter than a housed person’s life. |
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The leading causes of death for homeless people are preventable and treatable. Regrettably, well documented barriers block homeless persons’ access to health care. |
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Also, the study reported this startling fact: "[T]he average age of death was 48.1 years, falling far short of the 77.2 year life expectancy of the average American." In the policy-recommendation section, we are told, "The leading causes [of] death reported here are preventable and treatable. Regrettably, well documented barriers – chiefly lack of health insurance or ability to pay – continue to block homeless persons’ access to care."
Policy recommendations of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, resulting from the study, are these:
- Increase access to Primary and Preventive Care
- Support overdose prevention programs
- Promote recovery
- Improved discharge planning
- Regional priority to end and prevent homelessness through creating permanent housing
- Increase economic stability [of homeless people]
At Sacramento county's Primary Care Services website they recently posted this year's poster for the holiday. Near the bottom of the poster, there is a lit candle. At the top it says "Homeless Persons' Memorial Day." Strewn throughout the poster are these statements:
- Homeless people die from illnesses that affect everyone, frequently without health care.
- Homeless people die from exposure, unprotected from the heat and cold.
- Homeless people die from violence, often in unprovoked hate crimes.
- Health care is a human right.
- Housing is a human right.
- Remember our neighbors and friends who have died without homes.
- Physical safety is a human right.
- Remember why they died.
- DECEMBER 21 The first day of winter. The longest night of the year.
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