HEALTH INDICATORS AND RISKS AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS INMELBOURNE, 1995-1996

During the study's first stage, 284 homeless people from crisis and lo ng-term accommodation sites were surveyed using stratified, systematic sampling. The second stage involved a survey of a convenience sample of 100 homeless people from squats and the streets. Participants compl eted a questionnaire, Mantoux testings was performed and blood taken f or gamma-interferon assay, liver and renal function tests. The group's health status was poor, with 72% experiencing medical conditions in t he preceding two years and 77% symptoms in the month prior to intervie w. Bronchitis, asthma and gastroenteritis were the most commonly repor ted conditions; productive and persistent coughing, shortness of breat h and wheezing the commonest symptoms. Twenty-one per cent had Mantoux reactions 15 mm or greater, 28% a raised GGT and 19% a raised ALT. Se venty-seven per cent smoked, 74% were current drinkers, 28% had inject ed drugs at some time in their lives and 14% were regularly injecting drugs. Forty-four per cent had experienced mental illness, 49% of whom reported depression and 15% schizophrenia. Homeless people in Melbour ne have poor health status and engage in behaviours that place their h ealth at risk. The high number of respiratory and gastro-intestinal co mplaints, the high level of cigarette smoking and injecting drug use ( IDU) and the proportion likely to be injected with Mycobacterium tuber culosis (MTb) are all issues with important health consequences. Parti cipants recruited from the street had significantly poorer health and engaged in more risk behaviours than those from accommodation sites; t hose from the accommodated sample were more likely to be infected with MTb.