TY - JOUR
AU - R. A. Kaufman
AU - M. Mallick
AU - J. T. Louis
AU - M. Williams
AU - N. Oriol
A1 - 
AB - INTRODUCTION: An estimated 5800 to 46,500 lives are lost due to homelessness each year. Experiencing homelessness and poor health are cyclically related, with one reinforcing the other. Mobile programs, which include vehicles that travel to deliver care, and street medicine, the act of bringing care to spaces where PEH live, may play a role in alleviating this burden by providing trusted, affordable, and accessible care to this community. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature on the role of mobile clinics and street medicine in providing care for PEH by searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science on 10 August 2023. Articles from 2013 to 2023 specific to programs in the United States were included. The protocol was developed following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The primary outcome was the role of mobile programs for persons experiencing homelessness. RESULTS: A total of 15 articles were included in this review. The descriptive findings emphasized that street medicine and mobile clinics provide primary care, behavioral health, and social services. The utilization findings indicate that street medicine programs positively impact the health system through their ability to defer emergency department and hospital visits, providing financial benefits. The comparative findings between mobile programs and office-based programs indicate current successes and areas for improvement. DISCUSSION: Mobile clinics and street medicine programs that serve PEH provide a wide range of services. While more significant structural change is needed to address healthcare costs and housing policies in the United States, mobile clinics and street medicine teams can improve healthcare access and the healthcare system.
AD - Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.; Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
AN - 38929006
BT - Int J Environ Res Public Health
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
CP - 6
DA - Jun 12
DO - 10.3390/ijerph21060760
DP - NLM
ET - 20240612
IS - 6
JF - Int J Environ Res Public Health
LA - eng
N2 - INTRODUCTION: An estimated 5800 to 46,500 lives are lost due to homelessness each year. Experiencing homelessness and poor health are cyclically related, with one reinforcing the other. Mobile programs, which include vehicles that travel to deliver care, and street medicine, the act of bringing care to spaces where PEH live, may play a role in alleviating this burden by providing trusted, affordable, and accessible care to this community. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature on the role of mobile clinics and street medicine in providing care for PEH by searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science on 10 August 2023. Articles from 2013 to 2023 specific to programs in the United States were included. The protocol was developed following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The primary outcome was the role of mobile programs for persons experiencing homelessness. RESULTS: A total of 15 articles were included in this review. The descriptive findings emphasized that street medicine and mobile clinics provide primary care, behavioral health, and social services. The utilization findings indicate that street medicine programs positively impact the health system through their ability to defer emergency department and hospital visits, providing financial benefits. The comparative findings between mobile programs and office-based programs indicate current successes and areas for improvement. DISCUSSION: Mobile clinics and street medicine programs that serve PEH provide a wide range of services. While more significant structural change is needed to address healthcare costs and housing policies in the United States, mobile clinics and street medicine teams can improve healthcare access and the healthcare system.
PY - 2024
SN - 1661-7827 (Print); 1660-4601
ST - The Role of Street Medicine and Mobile Clinics for Persons Experiencing Homelessness: A Scoping Review
T1 - The Role of Street Medicine and Mobile Clinics for Persons Experiencing Homelessness: A Scoping Review
T2 - Int J Environ Res Public Health
TI - The Role of Street Medicine and Mobile Clinics for Persons Experiencing Homelessness: A Scoping Review
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.3390/ijerph21060760
VL - 21
VO - 1661-7827 (Print); 1660-4601
Y1 - 2024
ER -