The use of homeless care: nine out of ten consulted a doctor in 2012

Source: Drees, Studies and Results N°933 Author: Muriel Moisy In 2012, nearly nine out of ten homeless people consulted a doctor in the last 12 months. Within this population, women and people under the age of 60 go to the generalist or specialist more frequently. On the other hand, the use of dental care is less common: 37 % of homeless people have not gone to the dentist in the last two years and 7 % have never been there. One in ten homeless states that there is no health coverage and one in four from no additional health. But this observation masks contrasting situations. Homeless persons of foreign nationality are 16 % without health insurance and 29 % without supplementary health. Even higher percentages among those who report sleeping, the day before the survey, on the street or at night stops. This lesser medical coverage can explain a frequent use of hospital care: 20 % of the last consultations with a doctor took place in the hospital. In addition, one third of homeless people say they have been hospitalised at least once in the past year and cite the disease as the main reason for hospitalisation. 72 % of respondents went through emergencies during their last hospitalisation.