Demographics, Presenting Conditions, and Treatment Options for the Homeless Population at a Student-Run Free Clinic in Norfolk, Virginia

Abstract

Background: Street Health is a student-run free clinic with the goal of serving people experiencing homelessness in Norfolk, Virginia and the surrounding area. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess the demographics, common medical conditions, and treatments provided to Street Health patients during the clinic’s first 15 months.

Methods: Data was collected from the 136 patients seen at Street Health from 1/1/2019 to 3/15/2020 which included demographic information, vital signs, labs, reason for visit, diagnosis, and treatment plan.

Results: The median age was 52 years and 70.5% of patients were male. The majority of patients were African American (71.5%) and many were uninsured (33.7%). The most common conditions that patients presented with were categorized as: musculoskeletal (47.4%), cardiovascular (19.8%), and skin (18.1%). Although 55 patients reported having a chronic medical condition, oftentimes, the primary reason for visit was for acute symptoms such as joint pain or skin lesions. Of the 55 patients who reported having a chronic medical condition, 18 of those were psychiatric.

Conclusion: By understanding what clinical conditions our patients are most in need of treatment for, Street Health hopes to provide targeted care and implement interventions specific to the needs of our population. This study highlights the need to treat the acute concerns that homeless patients seek care for in addition to thoroughly assessing for underlying chronic conditions. To adequately care for chronic conditions in the homeless population, Street Health must foster trust among its patients, and partnerships must be formed to provide longitudinal care.