Results of the study on COVID-19 counteraction in homeless institutions
14.07.2020 / Coronavirus, Research
We are publishing the results of the study "Counteracting COVID-19 in homeless institutions in March-June 2020". The survey was conducted between 1 and 15 June 2020. It was attended by 83 respondents representing 98 institutions for homeless people. The aim of the research was to obtain collective information on the course of the epidemic among the homeless and in institutions providing shelter to them, showing the changes in the functioning of the Polish system of assistance for the homeless related to numerous sanitary restrictions, including restrictions on movement caused by the epidemic.
Key findings of the study:
The percentage of people infected with coronavirus among the residents of the institutions covered by the study was relatively small. However, it increased rapidly (several times exceeding the national average) after the inclusion of a multi-person outbreak of the virus in one of the shelters in Warsaw. This shows the key importance of preventing the spread of the epidemic in the institutions – testing the homeless people and creating "buffer" places for newly admitted clients.
The percentage of homeless people tested for the presence of coronavirus was very low. This percentage also increased significantly after new outbreaks in several institutions were revealed in June, however there is an alarming example of an institution where an infected person was revealed, the whole facility was quarantined, and yet none of the residents were tested. Only 23.5 % of surveyed institutions stated that they regularly test newcomers. Only 11.3% of surveyed institutions had preventive tests among employees.
At least 9 cases of quarantine in institutions for homeless people are known.
Relatively few municipalities have launched alternative places of shelter. These places serve primarily to "buffer" newcomers - places for people going out to work regularly or for people living in public space are rare. These services were launched mainly in existing facilities. 38.1% of respondents from towns and cities which decided to launch such a form of assistance believe that the number of alternative shelter places is insufficient.
The most frequent (90-100% of surveyed institutions) preventive measures are: written announcements about the epidemic and restrictions, disinfection of hands and surfaces, prohibition of access from outside and measuring body temperature. Slightly less popular were restrictions on the admission of new residents, restrictions on leaving institutions, suspension of group meetings and the obligation to use personal protective equipment (applied more often to employees than to the homeless themselves). Only 52.0% of the institutions were able to run isolation rooms. Even less so, i.e. 34.7% - the possibility to meet with a therapist or psychologist in order to alleviate tensions related to prolonged restrictions. As many as 37.8% of institutions banned going outside completely. 30.6% of the facilities completely ceased admitting new people.
Supply difficulties affected 38.8% of the surveyed institutions, especially concerning disinfectants and personal protective equipment, but 9.2% reported problems with food supply. However, the supply difficulties probably intensified at the beginning of the epidemic - at the time of the survey 87.8% of the surveyed institutions did not report any supply difficulties anymore.
The epidemic had a very serious impact on the possibility of using medical care by the homeless people. As many as 56.1% of the institutions reported problems with treatment of chronic diseases, and 46.9% with access to a general practitioner. In total, 743 persons in the surveyed institutions were affected by cancellations of planned specialist visits, treatment and rehabilitation dates. Only 5 institutions declared that this problem did not concern their inhabitants.
The epidemic also has a very high impact on the psyche and functioning of the homeless people in the institutions - numerous tensions related to the imposed restrictions appear. As many as 67.5% of respondents observed problems in this area.
No correlation could be observed between the epidemic and the change in the number of the homeless people in institutions.
A relatively small percentage of respondents (8.5%) had knowledge of cases of punishing homeless people for breaking the restrictions related to the epidemic.
The epidemic is also a threat to the functioning of non-governmental organisations providing assistance to the homeless. As many as 60.6% of respondents representing the non-governmental sector reported that the epidemic caused a difficult financial situation in their organizations. Almost half of those reporting financial problems declared that these problems may pose a threat to the functioning of the aid provided.
The current needs of the entities running institutions for the homeless include primarily: provision of tests and personal protective equipment, creation of alternative places of shelter, establishing clear rules of functioning of facilities for the homeless during the epidemic, good communication from public administration bodies and improving access to medical services.
A great number of concerns of the persons managing the institutions were also expressed, both in relation to the financial situation of the entities running the facilities, as well as the health situation of the homeless and the staff of the institutions.