The use of nonpharmacutical interventions in the prevention of COVID-19 in people experiencing homelessness in emergency shelters

ABSTRACT

The virus responsible for COVID-19, acknowledged as a public health threat, has been causing global disease since first discovered in December 2019 in China. The CDC (2021) issued a call for action through its Science Agenda for COVID-19 to identify evidence-based interventions for interrupting disease progression in vulnerable populations such as those in emergency shelter settings.This project focused on COVID-19 and its impact on the homeless population in northwestern Pennsylvania. The theoretical framework was the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model (JHEBP). A survey collected self-reported data on the practice and barriers to using personal NPIs. Participants were adults ages 18 years or older residing in one of two emergency shelters on the data collection date.The Questionnaire to Assess Preventative Practices Against the COVID-19 Pandemic in the General Population was modified to facilitate its use in an emergency shelter setting in the United States. Surveys were distributed to 142 individuals over the four data collection times;28% were returned with 93% complete.The preventative measures used by the participants most often were covering the face when sneezing or coughing and maintaining social distancing. Barriers to not following the recommendations included time, overcrowding, and personal opinion.A variety of toolkits are available to assist in developing the continued education identified as a need for the homeless. Future research, including focus groups and observation, can add to the knowledge base of COVID-19 and the homeless. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)