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| Study Finds Mental Health Care Systems Usually Miss the Homeless
Abstract Volume 36 Issue 4 (2001) pp 207-216 Needs for mental health care and service provision in single homeless people H. J. Salize (1)(3), A. Horst (1), C. Dillmann-Lange (1), U. Killmann (1), G.
Stern (1), I. Wolf (1), F. Henn (1), W. Rössler (2) (1) Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany Accepted: 2 January 2001 Abstract Background: Specific problems in sampling methodology, case-finding strategies and a standardised needs assessment in mentally ill homeless people have contributed to their being neglected as a mental health care clientele. Method: We assessed a representative sample of homeless people (n=102) in the highly industrialised city of Mannheim (Germany) regarding their prevalence of mental disorders (using the SCID) and their needs for mental health care (using the NCA). Results: We found high prevalences, with 68.6 % of all assessed homeless persons having a current mental disorder. Thus, needs for mental health care were very common, with unmet needs predominating in all problem areas, which was supported by a very weak service utilization. Thus, even in a region with a comprehensive community mental health care network, like the study area, mentally ill homeless people are widely under-provided. Conclusions: Results suggest that the traditional shelter system for homeless people carries most of the mental health care burden for their clientele and must be supported by adequate interventions from community-based mental health care services. A closer connection of both sectors and a better co-ordination of the care offers seems to be a prerequisite for helping to reduce unmet mental health care needs in this specific high-risk group. |
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