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University of Wisconsin–Madison
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty

Health of Those at Risk of Homelessness – Canada

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  • Health of 400,000 ‘nearly homeless’ Canadians similar to those on the street: study, By Heather Scoffield, November 19, 2010, Globe and Mail: “Hundreds of thousands of Canadians who are just one step away from being homeless are dealing with the same devastating health risks as people living on the streets, according to new research. Mental illness, hunger and chronic health issues such as arthritis and hepatitis are just as prevalent among the ‘vulnerably housed’ as among the homeless, research by a network of academics, doctors and community workers suggests. Their investigation in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa suggests that for every person sleeping on the street, there are 23 more who are at risk of becoming homeless – living in unaffordable, crowded and unsafe conditions…”
  • Too many Canadians on brink of being homeless: Doctor, By Nicki Thomas, November 19, 2010, Toronto Star: “For every person sleeping in a shelter bed, there are 23 households on the verge of homelessness, according to a dire report released Friday. These ‘vulnerably housed’ Canadians are spending more than 50 per cent of their monthly income on rent in crowded and unsafe housing. And many face the same myriad health problems as those with no home at all, states the report that calls for a national strategy to address the housing crisis. Dr. Stephen Hwang, the Toronto doctor who authored the report, called the country’s lack of a national housing strategy ‘deplorable.’ ‘Housing is just as essential to the health of Canadians as nutritious food, clean air and fresh water and access to medical care,’ said Hwang, a physician with the Centre for Research on Inner City Health at St. Michael’s Hospital. ‘If we ensure that people have their basic housing needs met, we would actually be making an investment in the health of our population.’ Earlier this week, a parliamentary committee released a report on poverty that also recommended a long-term national strategy on homelessness and housing…”