Class
Article
College
Caine College of the Arts
Department
Art and Design Department
Faculty Mentor
Susan Tibbets
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Persons experiencing homelessness in the United States experience significant barriers to self-care and personal hygiene, including limited access to clean showers, laundry, toilets, and hand washing facilities. The obstacles to personal hygiene associated with homelessness may increase risk of infectious disease and has increasingly had effects on the homeless population due to the recent pandemic of COVID-19. Access to adequate sanitation, including toilets, showers, and hand-washing facilities is necessary for personal hygiene and good health. A vicious cycle can negatively impact homeless people without proper access to such facilities. Lack of personal hygiene and cleanliness can cause physical as well as mental health problems, inability to get out of their current situation or retain a job, perpetuating homelessness causing these people to become trapped. While good personal hygiene is known to reduce risk of infectious disease, improve mental health and increase the chance of finding a job or housing, access to sanitation facilities for those who are homeless in the United States receive little to no attention. As prevalence of homelessness increases, the availability of adequate sanitation facilities, and the utilization of these facilities, become increasingly relevant for public health. The COVID-19 crisis only magnifies the lack of sanitation available to people experiencing homelessness. Many of the restrooms deemed “public” by municipalities are not entirely accessible; most are not open twenty-four hours a day, others require fees to use, and due to the pandemic, many previously accessible restrooms have closed indefinitely. Access to public toilets and showers is not only a pressing health issue but is also necessary for full public participation and citizenship, especially for homeless individuals. They are discriminated and marginalized due to unequal access to these basic needs. Presentation Time: Thursday, 2-3 p.m. Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/82911860600?pwd=ZTJlOHlCbmpnQXJodGk1N3Yrb2Qwdz09
Location
Logan, UT
Start Date
4-11-2021 12:00 AM
Included in
Homelessness and Hygiene
Logan, UT
Persons experiencing homelessness in the United States experience significant barriers to self-care and personal hygiene, including limited access to clean showers, laundry, toilets, and hand washing facilities. The obstacles to personal hygiene associated with homelessness may increase risk of infectious disease and has increasingly had effects on the homeless population due to the recent pandemic of COVID-19. Access to adequate sanitation, including toilets, showers, and hand-washing facilities is necessary for personal hygiene and good health. A vicious cycle can negatively impact homeless people without proper access to such facilities. Lack of personal hygiene and cleanliness can cause physical as well as mental health problems, inability to get out of their current situation or retain a job, perpetuating homelessness causing these people to become trapped. While good personal hygiene is known to reduce risk of infectious disease, improve mental health and increase the chance of finding a job or housing, access to sanitation facilities for those who are homeless in the United States receive little to no attention. As prevalence of homelessness increases, the availability of adequate sanitation facilities, and the utilization of these facilities, become increasingly relevant for public health. The COVID-19 crisis only magnifies the lack of sanitation available to people experiencing homelessness. Many of the restrooms deemed “public” by municipalities are not entirely accessible; most are not open twenty-four hours a day, others require fees to use, and due to the pandemic, many previously accessible restrooms have closed indefinitely. Access to public toilets and showers is not only a pressing health issue but is also necessary for full public participation and citizenship, especially for homeless individuals. They are discriminated and marginalized due to unequal access to these basic needs. Presentation Time: Thursday, 2-3 p.m. Zoom link: https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/82911860600?pwd=ZTJlOHlCbmpnQXJodGk1N3Yrb2Qwdz09