Homelessness and health

The goal of any delivery model is to improve the health status of homeless people through the provision of effective primary care. [...] It will review the demographics and health needs of the homeless population; define primary care and the common ways it is currently delivered in Canada; consider the barriers posed to homeless persons in accessing primary care; review and evaluate alternative methods of delivering care to this vulnerable population; and conclude by considering the implications for policy development in Canada. [...] It is sometimes considered the medical component in primary health care, a broader concept that is defined by the presence of more diverse professions as providers and the availability of services beyond the predominant clinical focus of primary care. [...] As in the case of health technology assessment, the narrative review is “a bridge between science and policy and requires a balance between the ideals of scientific rigor and the realities of policy making” (7, p.177). [...] In addition, the bibliographies produced by the Health Care for the Homeless Information Resources Center [HCHIRC] of the U. S. Bureau of Primary Health Care were searched.