Health and access to healthcare in homeless people: Protocol for a mixed-methods study
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN13187634 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13187634 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | PI2020/0576 |
- Submission date
- 03/01/2022
- Registration date
- 06/01/2022
- Last edited
- 13/02/2024
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Homelessness is a more complex problem than the simple lack of a place to live. Homeless people (HP) often suffer from poor health and premature death due to their limited access to healthcare and are also deprived of basic human and social rights. The study protocol described here aims to evaluate the complex relationship between homelessness and health, and identify the barriers and facilitators that impact access to healthcare by HP.
Who can participate?
The study aims to recruit about 300 adult homeless people in Palma.
What does the study involve?
The first phase of the study will involve HP completing specific health questionnaires to obtain information on health status, challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, self-reported use of healthcare, diagnoses, pharmacologic treatments, substance abuse, diet quality, depression, human basic needs, and social support. The second phase of the study will involve interviews with HP to determine the effects of different personal, family, and structural factors on their life and health status.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no anticipated risks of participating. The results of this study will help to develop global health strategies that improve the health and access to healthcare in HP.
Where is the study run from?
The University of the Balearic Islands (Spain) in collaboration with Primary Care and General Direction of Public Health of the Balearic Islands (Spain)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
From January 2020 to December 2022
Who is funding the study?
The College of Nurses of Balearic Islands (Spain) and the Government of the Balearic Islands (Spain)
Who is the main contact?
1. Dr. Aina M. Yañez, aina.yanez@uib.es
2. Mr Miguel Ángel Bedmar, mabedmar23@gmail.com
Contact information
Scientific
Beatriu de Pinos Building
Balearic Islands University
Cra. de Valldemossa Km 7,5
Palma
07122
Spain
 ORCID ID |
0000-0003-1668-2141 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +34971172367 |
| miquel.bennasar@uib.es |
Scientific
Beatriu de Pinos Building
Balearic Islands University
Cra. de Valldemossa Km 7,5
Palma
07122
Spain
| ORCID ID |
0000-0001-8527-3937 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +34971172914 |
| aina.yanez@uib.es |
Public
Cra. de Valldemossa Km 7,5
Palma
07122
Spain
| Phone | +34971172914 |
|---|---|
| mabedmar23@gmail.com |
Study information
| Study design | Observational cross-sectional mixed-methods study using an explanatory sequential design |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Observational |
| Secondary study design | Cross sectional study |
| Study setting(s) | Community |
| Study type | Quality of life |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet |
| Scientific title | Evaluating the health situation of homeless people in Spain and identifying the barriers and facilitators that impact access to healthcare |
| Study acronym | SENSELLAR |
| Study objectives | To evaluate the complex relationship between homelessness and health, and identify the barriers and facilitators that impact access to healthcare by homeless people. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Approved 08/10/2020, the Ethics Committee of Clinical Research of the Balearic Islands (CEI-IB) (Calle del calçat, 2A, 2ª planta, Polígono de Son Valentí, 07011 Palma (Illes Balears); +34-971177 378; ceic_ib@caib.es), ref: IB4301/20PI |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Access to healthcare and health of homeless people |
| Intervention | The first phase will consist of a cross-sectional study of 300 homeless people. Specific health questionnaires will be used to obtain information on health status, challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, self-reported use of healthcare, diagnoses, and pharmacologic treatments, substance abuse (DAST-10), diet quality (IASE), depression (PHQ-9), and human basic needs and social support (SSQ-6). The second phase will be a qualitative study of homeless people using the “life story” technique with purposive sampling. The interviews will be structured and defined using Nussbaum's capability approach and will be used to determine the effects of different personal, family, and structural factors on the life and health status of participants |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure | 1. Health status measured using an ad hoc questionnaire at a single timepoint 2. Challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic measured using an ad hoc questionnaire at a single timepoint 3. Self-reported use of healthcare, diagnoses, and pharmacologic treatments measured using an ad hoc questionnaire at a single timepoint 4. Substance abuse measured using the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) at a single timepoint 5. Diet quality measured using the Healthy Feeding Index (IASE) at a single timepoint 6. Depression measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at a single timepoint 7. Human basic needs and social support measured using the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ-6) at a single timepoint |
| Secondary outcome measures | Effects of different personal, family, and structural factors on the life and health status of participants measured using a qualitative interview at a single timepoint |
| Overall study start date | 01/01/2020 |
| Completion date | 31/12/2022 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Other |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 300 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Aged ≥18 years 2. Living in Palma and meeting the European Typology of Homelessness and Housing Exclusion (ETHOS) classification 3. Agree to participate in the study and sign the informed consent document |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Staying overnight in a private or municipal shelter for >3 months during the previous year 2. Having an acute episode of mental disease or being under the influence of alcohol or any drug during recruitment |
| Date of first enrolment | 12/11/2020 |
| Date of final enrolment | 30/05/2022 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Spain
Study participating centre
Palma
07122
Spain
Sponsor information
University/education
Cra. de Valldemossa Km 7.5
Palma
07122
Spain
| Phone | +34-971173000 |
|---|---|
| osrgestiotecnica@uib.es | |
| Website | https://www.uib.eu |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/03e10x626 |
Funders
Funder type
Government
No information available
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 01/06/2023 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Stored in publicly available repository |
| Publication and dissemination plan | The research protocol of the study will be send to publish in a high-impact peer review journal. Planned publication of results in a high-impact peer-review journal. |
| IPD sharing plan | The selection of the datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be anonymised and stored in a publically available repository (http://zenodo.org). |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protocol (preprint) | 15/09/2021 | 06/01/2022 | No | No | |
| Protocol article | 18/02/2022 | 13/02/2024 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
13/02/2024: Publication reference added.
07/11/2022: The intention to publish date was changed from 01/11/2022 to 01/06/2023.
04/03/2022: Internal review.
24/01/2022: The public title was changed from 'Health and access to healthcare in homeless people' to 'Health and access to healthcare in homeless people: Protocol for a mixed-methods study'.
07/01/2022: Internal review.
06/01/2022: Trial’s existence confirmed by the Ethics Committee of Clinical Research of the Balearic Islands (CEI-IB).
