Chapter 23: Poverty And Homelessness Flashcards
Cultural Attitudes
Are the beliefs and perspectives that a society values
Media
Communicates thoughts and attitudes through literature, film, art, television and newspapers.
To understand poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and teen pregnancy, consider
your personal beliefs and attitudes, clients’ perceptions of their condition, and the social, political, cultural, and environmental factors that influence the client’s situation.
The definition of poverty
Varies depending on the source.
The federal government defines poverty on the basis of
income, family size, age of the head of household, and number of children younger than 18 years
Those who are poor insist that poverty
has less to do with income and more to do with a lack of family, friends, love, and support.
Persistent poverty
refers to individuals and families who remain poor for long periods and who pass poverty on to their descendants.
Neighborhood poverty u
refers to geographically defined areas of high poverty, characterized by dilapidated housing and high levels of unemployment.
Factors affecting the growing number of poor persons
Decreased earnings
Increased unemployment rates
Changes in the labor force
Increase in female-headed households
Inadequate education and job skills
Inadequate antipoverty programs and welfare benefits
Weak enforcement of child support statutes
Dwindling Social Security payments to children
Increased numbers of children born to single women
Effects of Poverty across the lifespan
Higher rates of chronic illness
Higher infant morbidity and mortality
Shorter life expectancy
More complex health problems
More significant complications and physical limitations resulting from chronic disease
Hospitalization rates three times more than for persons with higher incomes
Poverty has an especially negative effect on
Women of childbearing age Adolescent women Children Older adults Both urban and rural communities
Two common ways to determine the number of people who are homeless are:
- Point-in-time-counts
2. Period Prevalence counts
Point-in-time-counts
Counting the number of people who are homeless on a given day or during a given week.
Period prevalence counts
Examines the number of people who are homeless over a given period of time
Effects of Homelessness of Health
Hypothermia and heat-related illnesses
Infestations and poor skin integrity
Peripheral vascular disease and hypertension
Diabetes and nutritional deficits
Respiratory infection and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases
Tuberculosis (TB)
HIV/AIDS
Trauma
Mental illness
Use and abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs
Homelessness and At-risk populations
Pregnant women
Children
Adolescents
Older adults
Primary prevention services include
affordable housing, housing subsidies, effective job-training programs, employer incentives, preventive health care services, multisystem case management, needle-exchange programs, and counseling programs.
Secondary prevention activities are aimed at
reducing the prevalence of pathologic nature of a condition (e.g., supportive and emergency housing, soup kitchens).
Tertiary prevention attempts to
restore and enhance functioning (i.e., support of affordable housing, promotion of psychosocial rehabilitation programs).
Role of the Nurse
Create a trusting environment.
Show respect, compassion, and concern.
Do not make assumptions.
Coordinate a network of services and providers.
Advocate for accessible health care services.
Focus on prevention.
Know when to walk beside the client and when to encourage the client to walk ahead.
Develop a network of support for yourself.
