Health and Oral Health Care Needs and Health Care-Seeking Behavior Among Homeless Injection Drug Users in San Francisco

Bibliographic Data

ID12472323
AuthorsJonathan Robbins (0000-0003-2282-8442, University of California, Berkeley, corresponding author), Jonathan Leserman Robbins, Lynn D Wenger (0000-0002-6527-7575, RTI International), Lynn Wenger, Jennifer Lorvick (0000-0002-2836-3028, University of California, Berkeley), Caroline H Shiboski (0000-0002-2289-3781, University of California, San Francisco), Caroline Shiboski, Alex H Kral (0000-0002-9092-3671, University of California, San Francisco)
Year2010
Volume87
Issue6
Pages920-930
Publication date2010-10-14
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Urban Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1099-3460 • E-ISSN: 1468-2869
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s11524-010-9498-5
PMID20945108
PMCIDPMC3005094
OpenAlexW2150051476
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited29

Few existing studies have examined health and oral health needs and treatment-seeking behavior among the homeless and injection drug users (IDUs). This paper describes the prevalence and correlates of health and oral health care needs and treatment-seeking behaviors in homeless IDUs recruited in San Francisco, California, from 2003 to 2005 (N = 340). We examined sociodemographic characteristics, drug use patterns, HIV status via oral fluid testing, physical health using the Short Form 12 Physical Component Score, self-reported needs for physical and oral health care, and the self-reported frequency of seeking medical and oral health care. The sample had a lower health status as compared to the general population and reported a frequent need for physical and oral health care. In bivariate analysis, being in methadone treatment was associated with care-seeking behavior. In addition, being enrolled in Medi-Cal, California's state Medicaid program, was associated with greater odds of seeking physical and oral health care. Methamphetamine use was not associated with higher odds of needing oral health care as compared to people who reported using other illicit drugs. Homeless IDUs in San Francisco have a large burden of unmet health and oral health needs. Recent cuts in Medi-Cal's adult dental coverage may result in a greater burden of oral health care which will need to be provided by emergency departments and neighborhood dental clinics

Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Logistic regression · Medicaid · Odds · Odds ratio · Population · Psychiatry · Public health · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine · Nursing · Gerontology

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