1. By: Julie A. Von Berckefeldt, Anne Andaya, Stephen Maxey and
Matthew J. Zawadzki, Ph.D.
Their Experiences with Healthcare and
Stress Management

2.  Importance of Healthcare and Stress Management
 Homelessness, Healthcare Access and Stress Management Facts
 Objectives
 Proposed Methods
 Healthcare Interview Questions
 Stress Interview Questions
 Future Findings
 Practical Purposes

3. Healthcare access and stress management skills are
essential for positive health outcomes
 When people lack access to healthcare they are at risk for being
disabled and mortality (Daiski, 2006)
 When people lack stress management skills they are at risk for heart
attacks and strokes (Blumenthal, 2005)
 Levels of healthcare and stress management are affected by
one’s socioeconomic status

4.  Lack of available resources
 Housing, food, clothing, social support
 Experience lack of healthcare
 Experience chronic stress
 Inability to meet daily basic needs
 Examples of homeless stressors (Unger et al., 1998)
 Loss of a lover or close friend
 Chronic health condition or disability
 Victim of violence

5. Healthcare
 Access and utilization of healthcare
Insured, uninsured, underinsured
 Medical emergency care
Hospital, clinic, community providers
 Transportation during a medical emergency
Bus, taxi, car
Stress Management
 Stressors faced on a daily basis
Access to water, restrooms and hygiene
 Coping mechanisms with stress
Journaling, counseling, smoking, drinking, drugs
 Social support
Family, friends, community, healthcare providers

6.  How does a homeless individual perceive their day to
day experiences in regards to their personal healthcare
access and utilization, and stress management?
 Our purpose is to acquire and synthesize first hand
information from homeless individuals.

7.  20 homeless participants
 Male and Female
 Ages 18 -100
 30 minute semi-structured audio recorded interviews
 20 closed and open ended questions
 Interviews to be conducted at 2 local Homeless shelters
 $10 Gift Card

8. Healthcare Access
 Do you have access to healthcare?
Insured, uninsured, underinsured (ER care but not dental care)
 What do you do in a medical emergency?
Hospital, clinic, healthcare provider
 What transportation do you use in a medical emergency
Bus, taxi, walk, bike

9. Stress Management
 What are some stressors you face on a daily basis?
Access to water, restrooms, hygiene, safety at night
 How do you cope with stress?
Journaling, counseling, talking to friends, smoking, drinking, drugs

10.  Prevalence and incidence rates of diseases common in
homeless communities
 Primary stressors of homeless individuals
 Resources list for healthcare and stress management
Money, food, people

11.  Awareness of structural and systemic injustices
 Provide acquired information to researchers, city
officials and nonprofit organizations for future
interventions
 Mobile Healthcare Unit
 Treatment and prevention of disease
 Convenient to access and utilize
 Resource guide for the community

12. Blum Center, Dr. Steve Roussos & Dr. Matthew Zawadzki