Study on Actual State and Disposition of Homeless Patients in an Emergency Center

Yoo, In Sool; Lee, Suk Woo

Abstract

PURPOSE: Homeless patients receive little or no social and medical concern because of their low economic status and the absence of responsible family, and no epidemiological reports have been performed on homeless patients so far. To establish medical politics for public welfare, We analyzed the homeless patients visiting our emergency department (ED).
METHODS
A prospective descriptive study was accomplished for 215 homeless patients admitted at Chungnam National University Hospital 's emergency department from July 1998 to June 2000. We investigated them in terms of age, sex, length of stay, diagnosis, level of consciousness, payment, sobriety, and admission.
RESULTS
A total 215 patients were enrolled (males:190, 88%). The fifth decade, 74 patients, was the largest age group (34.4%), followed by the sixth decades, 58 patients (27.0%). The largest groups for length of stay and final diagnosis were 101 for stays from 7 to 24 hours (47.0%) and 80 for alcoholism (37.2%). Fifth and sixth alcoholism patients were 55 of 80 (68.8%). Drunken patients were 132 of the total (61.4%). Alcoholism seemed to be the main cause of unconsciousness on ED admission as 67 of the 80 alcoholism patients were unconscious. No medical payment could be taken from the emergency medical fund. The local public welfare department accepted responsibility for payment from the local budget.
CONCLUSION
Most homeless patients were in their fifth and sixth decades and had Problems with alcohol and medical payment. That is why they could not get the appropriate medical service. Further social and medical concerns are warranted for their health, and more investigations should be performed from a medical point of view, not a socialwelfare one.