The Homeless are a Health Danger to You and Your Children

Web Site ^ | Roger schulke

[Exton1]

The Homeless are a Health Danger to You and Your Children

"TB rates among marginally housed individuals in San Francisco are as high as Sub Saharan Africa and over thirty times the national rate," noted Dr. Masae Kawamura, San Francisco's TB Controller. "Homeless shelters and SRO's [Single Resident Occupancy] are among the most likely places where TB can be transmitted in San Francisco, representing a dangerous potential for future TB cases. This particularly endangers children and susceptible individuals," Dr. Kawamura observed.-  Press release SF Department of Public Health - March 21, 2002

San Francisco's homeless problem continues to fuel high TB rates among this population. The rate of TB among this group has remained relatively high with one in every 8 (13%) cases of TB being homeless. A homeless shelter TB outbreak in 2001 highlights the need to continue program focus on this population.

Homeless persons have historically been at greater risk for TB due to their poor living conditions, high rates of HIV and other diseases, high rates of substance abuse, and late detection of TB.

The Department of Public Health reported in 1996 that:

TB cases among the homeless and injecting drug users (IDUs) increased between 1993 and 1995…TB case rates in areas that have the highest density of homeless and transiently housed individuals are 200-300 cases per 100,000 population which are rates comparable to those in Central Africa and 30 times the national case rate... Among the homeless, 67% to 82% are U.S. born, and have an exceptionally high rate of substance abuse…Between 1993 and 1996, of those whose substance histories were known, 73% to 94% abused alcohol, injected substances, or used other illicit drugs (94% in 1996). For the past three years one in four TB cases (25%) in San Francisco were substance abusers were using alcohol or other non-injecting drugs and 4% were reportedly injecting drugs. (SFEPI-1996, 8).

San Francisco’s department of Human Services wants to place the homeless in gyms and community centers at night.  This is where our children play during the day!  Even though our tax dollars pay for these shelters, the City refuses to do criminal or health checks on those taking advantage of these services. This lack of due diligence on the part of the City is putting us all at risk.

As citizens and taxpayers of San Francisco, we have every right to be protected from criminals and communicable diseases.  Now is the time to look for leadership that will not allow practices that will put our children and us at risk.

Vote for Roger E. Schulke for San Francisco Mayor.

www.RogerForMayor.com

[camle]

your tax dollars well spent

[AbsoluteJustice]

If I remember correctly wasn't it San Fran who just passed an ordinance that allowed the homeless free roam in the city or was this the other way around?

[Asclepius]

San Francisco?s department of Human Services wants to place the homeless in gyms and community centers at night.

Why hasn't the political left seized on this argument?--the notion that poverty is a public health risk for our children.

[annyokie]

It's not just the homeless, it is the illegals, as well. I had to be tested twice in three months for TB when I was waiting table in Santa Barbara 20 years ago because one of the dishwashers tested positive. TG, I never contracted it but I always wondered about our customers.

[Kenton]

Feed the Homeless to the Hungry...

[MineralMan]

So, what's your idea about how to deal with the problem? It's obviously a public health issue. So, how do we minimize the risk?

[joesnuffy]

So are long term care VA hospitals

[Exton1]

Solution, declare a health emergency and round up all the homeless and illegals and put them or send them away. Who would argue if it was for the children.

[MineralMan]

"Solution, declare a health emergency and round up all the homeless and illegals and put them or send them away. Who would argue if it was for the children."

Send them away where? That's not an answer unless you have a place to send them. How about treating their illness? A hospital? A prison? Where?

Sorry, but this isn't as simple a problem as it seems. TB is a very dangerous disease, especially now, with drug resistant strains becoming prevalent.

So, what do you do with homeless people who have TB? Sending them away sounds good, but you have to have somewhere to send them.

[AbsoluteJustice]

SHHHHH DONT SAY THAT LUIS Gonzalez on these boars will be ALL over you and call you a racist.

[AbsoluteJustice]

Remember way way way way back when Lepers were sent to an island well you can thank the PC crowd today that we cannot do this. Quarntine them to an island and treat them. Spread stopped and people treated.

[MineralMan]

"Remember way way way way back when Lepers were sent to an island well you can thank the PC crowd today that we cannot do this. Quarntine them to an island and treat them. Spread stopped and people treated."

OK, who pays for this? Which island? There aren't a lot of islands available in that area, you see. There's Alcatraz, but that's a State Park. There are a couple of other islands in the Bay, but they're all in use.

So, which island, and who pays for housing and treatment, etc?

[ImpotentRage]

Shame on you! Thanks for the laugh.

[AbsoluteJustice]

Charities ie Red Cross and many many others. See before the days of our current socialist laning government Charities back in th 30's took care of the needy never needing a special socialist government program. That takes care of that. As to what island? There are hundreds of uninhabited islands in the Pacific hell you can do a search on Yahoo and find sites where entire islands are sold.

[annyokie]

He and I are cool. We had a long chat about public school a few days ago. Shoot, we are all immigrants in one way or another. My forebears were stowaways and border sneaks. Of course, we brag now. ;)

[green team 1999]

dump the homeless to the ocean,a couple of sharks will take care of the rest,just five every night,that`s all i ask.

[aristeides]

Taiwan is now rounding up the homeless to put in military camps, because a couple of them are suspected of having SARS.

[MineralMan]

"Charities ie Red Cross and many many others. See before the days of our current socialist laning government Charities back in th 30's took care of the needy never needing a special socialist government program. That takes care of that. As to what island? There are hundreds of uninhabited islands in the Pacific hell you can do a search on Yahoo and find sites where entire islands are sold."

Great idea. Now, let's find a charity willing to take this on, get the thing set up and ready to go, and then get the homeless transported there. All of that has to be done before any of this can take place, you see. Who's in charge of recruiting a charity to handle this? Or has a charity already volunteered?

[biblewonk]

North Dakota: "40 below zero keeps the rif-raf out"