Homelessness Is A Public Health Crisis Requiring Action On Multiple Fronts: Staying Warm During Winter Is But The Tip Of The Iceberg For Homeless People
By Paul Bennett, Volunteer Blog Writer at Mentor A Promise Homeless man sleeping on a bench By Belish I often ride the subway from Brooklyn into Manhattan on Friday mornings with my son, who attends high school near Union Square. During the recent bout of frigid weather I’ve noticed a woman sleeping on a bench underneath a large pile of comforters and blankets. They are worn and tattered and no doubt soaked from snow and rain. She has burrowed into her makeshift shelter, though I wonder how well all those layers keep out the cold and the damp. Needless to say, a bench is hardly a comfortable place to sleep and rejuvenate. Seeing her made me wonder about not only the challenges she faces to stay warm and fed, but about how long she is likely to survive living unhoused in the city. Does being homeless affect mortality? Research suggests the answer is a resounding “yes.” Homelessness is a major public health crisis. First, some statistics. The Nineteenth Annual Report on Deaths Among Pers...
