Poverty and Homelessness Flashcards
*Define poverty
having insufficient financial resouces to meet basic living expenses for food, shelter, clothing, transportation and health care.
*Define poverty threshold
The amount of money (based on pretax income) that is used to determine if one is in poverty or not, and thus if they qualify for certain programs
Accounts for family size and composition (number of kids)
Does not account for differences in cost of living
What is the official poverty measure?
The poverty threshold
What does the supplemental poverty measure take into account that the poverty threshold does not?
social security tax, child support, work related expenses, medical needs..
Gives a better picture
How does the supplemental poverty measure help?
- Gives a better picture
- Aids policy makers and individuals in understanding the true situation in order to work towards change
*What are poverty guidelines?
Simplified measure of the poverty threshold
*What are poverty guidelines used for?
Administrative decision on who gets into programs
quicker
Define near poor
Persons whose income is above the federal poverty threshold but, not sufficient enough to meet all needs
Define persistent poverty
Individuals/families who remain poor/in poverty for long periods of time. It is multi-generational
Define neighborhood poverty
Geographically defined areas that have high levels of poverty
*Define homelessness
One who lacks that resources and ties to provide ones own continuous housing or resides in a shelter or place not traditionally used for sleeping.
*Types of poverty considered crisis poverty
Temporary
episodically
*Define episodically poverty
A person who goes in and out of poverty. Typically due to situations such as an increase in rent, lost job, medical experiences.
Typically younger
*Define temporary (crisis) poverty
State of homelessness caused by something such as a natural disaster
*Define chronic/persistent poverty
An individual who is in poverty for an extended period of time.
Can be by choice or not
often older
*Health issues in children who are in homelessness
- Asthma 4x risk
- Ear infection 2x risk
- Gastrointestinal problems 5x risk
- Hungry, but high rates of obesity
- Emotional and behavioral problems
- delayed developmental and learning disorders
- inc violence
*Health issues in young adults who are in homelessness
- inc. risk taking behaviors
- early onset of sexual activity
- physical abuse
- sexual abuse
- inc rate of STI
- substance abuse
- mental illness
- inc rate of suicide
- inc violence
- inc trauma/PTSD
*Health issues in adult/older adults who are in homelessness
-permanent physical deformities
-untreated chronic illnesses
~HTN, arthritis
-Tuberculosis
-Malnutrition
-Substance abuse
-poor oral health
-skin disorders and infestation
-Hypothermia
-Heat related illness
Hindrances in access to health care for the homeless
- no perminate mailing address
- transportation
- lack of money
*Vulnerability Model: Biological domain factors related to homelessness
- Race
- Mental illness
*Vulnerability Model: Sociocultral domain factors related to homelessness
- Inadequate wages
- limited education
- family structure
- changes in the labor market/ job loss
- lack of social support
- lack of insurance
- extreme poverty
*Vulnerability Model: Behavioral domain factors related to homelessness
- chronic health conditions
- poor diet/weight controll
- exercises
- rest
- emotional health
- addiction disorders
- sexual practices
*Vulnerability Model: Environmental domain factors related to homelessness
- lack of affordable housing
- lack of single room housing
- domestic violence
*Primary prevention related to homelessness
- Affordable housing
- Effective job training
- look at policy change
*Secondary prevention related to homelessness
- pull out of homelessness faster*
- supportive and emergency housing
- soup kitchens
*Tertiary prevention related to homelessness
- why are they homeless and how to fix*
- involvement in advocacy groups for homeless
- comprehensive case management
- physical and mental services
Role of the nurse in caring for the homeless
- create a trusting environment
- show respect, compassion, and concern
- do not make assumptions
- coordinate a network services and providers
- advocate for accessible health care services
- focus on prevention
- develop a network of support for yourself
(maybe make fc on each)
