Cancer among people experiencing homelessness

(Image: Pixabay CC0) - Cancer is twice as likely to affect people experiencing homelessness (PEH) as members of the housed population. The disease is the second most common cause of death among PEH, a group that is underserved when it comes to medical care. At the same time, there is a lack of awareness and of structures for targeted cancer screening. Against this backdrop, a team headed by MedUni Vienna has examined the current situation in four European countries and drawn up approaches for the development of a prevention programme. The study has just been published in the journal eClinicalMedicine. For the study, a research team led by Tobias Schiffler and Igor Grabovac from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at MedUni Vienna's Center for Public Health collected experiences and viewpoints from directly affected groups, namely people experiencing homelessness who have cancer and those who do not, as well as professionals working at health and social services facilities. Members of these groups in Austria, Greece, the UK and Spain gave insights into the current situation and spoke about the obstacles to cancer prevention among people at the margins of society.