Rural homelessness and social health challenges in Canada

Homelessness and the Effect it Has on Social Health

Few people acknowledged that there was anything like homelessness in the rural areas in Canada. Indeed, it is possible that it was never even thought of Assessment of the needs of homeless people in rural areas in Canada is almost nonexistent. There is clearly biased focus on the urban areas. Issues affecting non-urban and rural homeless communities are overlooked. Therefore, there has been little research directed to such locations. Reports of the existence of homelessness emerged in the last decade after reliable reports cast light on the phenomenon and its uniqueness (Christensen, 2011). Homeless people in rural areas face such challenges as lack of social services, harsh climate and sparsely populated places. There are reports to the effect that people are living in dilapidated conditions and overpopulated spaces (Christensen, 2012; Schiff, Schiff, Turner & Bernard, 2015).

It is reported that there are over 30-000 homeless people in Canada each day. Out of the number mentioned, over 3000 sleep in extreme conditions. 14-000 sleep in emergency shelters which are makeshift and do not have day accommodation service (Gaetz, Donaldson, Ruichter, & Gulliver, 2013).

Domestic violence shelters take care of over 7 350 people. These shelters can only allow people to stay from 30 to 60 days at most. Another group of 4 460 are accommodated provisionally in health facilities, prisons, and half way homes that do not allow you to go back after you have been discharged (Gaetz et al., 2013).

There are few places that offer identification service for people in need of housing. Therefore, there is hardly any reliable data.

1. How it relates to social work

Owing to the fact that there are no special spaces or homes that have been set up for homeless people in the rural areas, there is hardly any initiative to identify them or collect data. It is not even known who is need of housing, when they need it and for how long such intervention would be useful and appropriate for the homeless person. The effect and result of the current scenario is continued ignorance and a tendency to turn a blind eye to the existence of such groups. It is acknowledged that without data to work with, it is not easy to initiate an intervention. The data concern informed the basis of research discussed in this paper. This research seeks to provide insights into the phenomenon. It will assist the healthcare fraternity to take care of the homeless people in rural areas.

2. The Research question

This paper seeks to establish the health condition of homeless people in rural areas in Canada. When determining the health status of homeless people in these areas, the primary health conditions facing them, how the providers are coping and the best model for health care workers in rural areas will present solutions that would rescue the situations.

Theoretical Framework

This research borrows from Leininger (2002) Cultural Care Theory. The theory focuses on providing care that is culturally congruent in a diverse world. The theory is largely accepted in most nursing centers across the globe. It is also taught at health care related seminars and workshops, organizations and at University level (McFarland, 2010). The points of cultural sensitivity, in the theory, are applicable to all populations across the globe, irrespective of their ethnicity, geographical locations, or economic status. Nursing care givers try to provide holistic care for their patients in a way that focuses on patient needs. Competence in nursing is about taking into consideration the patient's needs and accommodating them in the beliefs that people have as nursing care givers. Nursing must also change with time. The driving principles of Leininger's theory were relevant to the tenets of this research that was based on an interactive approach in caring for the needs of homeless people. It is important that such homeless people have an identity and a culture of their own.

There must be genuine concern for the homeless and subsequent meaningful dialogue between the healthcare provider and the victims of homelessness. This will assist the caregivers to understand the full stretch of the meaning of their calling and the optimal status of health, along with fresh ideas for primary health care for such disadvantaged groups. Such an initiative will lead to better implementation of the strategies of providing health and related care that such homeless people really need.