Over Three Quarters Of Homeless People Suffer From Health Problems

A snap report by Ireland's 'Simon Community' found that 77% of those who used their Cork shelter, during the first week in September, suffered from atleast one diagnosed medical or mental health condition. To mark 'Simon Week' - which was founded to highlight the plight of this often-forgotten section of society - the organisation carried out this mini-reflection of what is actually happening on the streets, and it seems that these people are often left to deteriorate health-wise. The report also highlights the high level of alcohol and drug addicts amongst the homeless population, with 77% drinking and 39% on various drugs, further downgrading these people's health, but these are only symptoms of a broken society, which is coming apart as we look on helplessly.

October.06.2009 - George Valentine Corr, Blatant News Editor
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THE SIMON COMMUNITY REPORT
Yesterday the Simon Community published a press release which gives some details of their mini-report. They say that they canvassed the 183 people who attended their Cork shelter during the first week of last month, and found that 58% had a diagnosed mental health condition, and 48% were diagnosed with medial problems. In total, out of the 183 people, 77% had atleast one diagnosed mental or medical issue, and the living conditions were not the only reason for this high concentration of health concerns. Drink and drugs play a big part too, with many of those questioned being described as having heavy addictions. According to the Simon Community... "82% reported using alcohol, almost half of which were described as heavy users. 39% used drugs, 40% of which were described as heavy users, and 36% used both alcohol and drugs, 37% of which were described as heavy users of both. 52% of those with a diagnosed mental health condition also used alcohol and/or drugs".

CAN WE NOT HELP THESE PEOPLE?
How do we allow these normal people to disintegrate into forgotten about human beings? Many of whom die alone, generally in some hospital ward or accident and emergency department. I mean, we have all the trappings of success in this corner of the World, and a somewhat caring health system, so how can this happen continually to some previously 'normal' people, with 'normal lives'? This is an area of western civilisation which has deeply troubled me for some time because I have come across many long and short-term homeless people whilst working in the health service, and I have friends who work helping the homeless directly, on the streets here in Dublin. Over the past decade I think I have got some idea of the scope of this problem here in Ireland, and to some extent in the UK too, and while there are many who have had enough of life, and just want to be left alone to live in whatever world they have created for themselves in their own minds, there are many who are in need of some simple help. Help which the current system just does not offer. And when people find themselves in this kind of situation, and are left to fend for themselves, there is only one way from there, down.

THE OVERALL ISSUE
Whilst a little bit of simple help, guidance, or a regular friendly face can be of help to some, I think the numbers of mental health issues affecting the people questioned by the Simon Community in Cork gives us a little clue about what has been going on here for the most part. Society is broken, and it needs some serious fixing. I believe that this is down to most westerners not feeling that their lives are worthwhile enough, and an overall dishonesty which has crept into our society. Both of these issues, together or separately, tend to be at the fulcrum of each personal story that I have heard from homeless people that I have come across, and I believe that it is those two key areas which are pulling society down in general. While this negative feeling may not lead you in particular to a life on the streets, it is already affecting large sections of society today through widespread depression, and this is backed up by some recent findings here in Ireland.

LARGE-SCALE DEPRESSION IN IRELAND
A news release published by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) in Ireland, stated that... "11% of the population have taken sedatives and tranquillisers at some stage in their lives, with 9% of respondents reporting that they had ever used anti-depressants. The findings also indicate that while 89% of current users got their sedatives or tranquillisers on prescription from the chemist, 11% of those using prescription medicines obtained them without a prescription". These findings come from a report released in March 2009, which show the use of anti-depressants in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland combined up to the 2006 to 2007 period (7,000 people questioned, which was a response rate of 65%), and that makes shocking reading in itself, but the figures for Northern Ireland really caught my eye. It was found that 26% of 35 to 64 year olds in the North had taken some form of sedative or tranquilliser, and that 27% had taken anti-depressants. If one-quarter of the population need something to perk them up, then we know we must be looking at something very serious indeed.

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