Original Article by Eva Purkey & Meredith MacKenzie and International Journal for Equity in Healthcited below

Summary by Simply the Basics

This article discusses the realities of accessing healthcare as a person experiencing homelessness, or a person in a vulnerable housing situation.

First, it outlines the research mechanisms used to understand the ways people access or don’t access healthcare, and what that means for them. The unfortunate truth is that there really are simply not enough methods and ways for people experiencing homelessness to access proper healthcare, and they often feel stigmatized or like the options aren’t actuallyaccessible for them, particularly for people experiencing substance abuse issues.

The article details how “Participants’ experience of either accessing services themselves, or of assisting clients to access services, was predominantly negative.” Shame, inflexibility and stigma are far too prevalent. 

Purkey, E., & MacKenzie, M. (2019, July 1). Experience of healthcare among the homeless and vulnerably housed a qualitative study: Opportunities for equity-oriented health care - international journal for equity in health. BioMed Central. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-019-1004-4