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NEWS ROUNDUP: Barbara Kermode-Scott Managed alcohol intake improves health of homeless alcoholic people, study shows BMJ 2006; 332: 70-a [Full text]

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Questions about replicability and ongoing care.

Vaishali M. Verma   (21 January 2006)

Why are so many people homeless?

Hugh Mann   (5 January 2007)

Questions about replicability and ongoing care. 21 January 2006
Vaishali M. Verma, General Practitioner Pacific Health Clinic, 163 Worcester street, Christchurch, New Zealand Send response to journal: Re: Questions about replicability and ongoing care.	The only concern which such pilot studies is their replicability in the general population, and the 5 year follow up after the intensive initiatives like care workers one to one person contact have been removed from the community, and the cohort of people with alcoholism is allowed to live in their native habitat once again, how many would relapse??!! What has the team initating this pilot program visualised for the ongoing phase of this alcohol rehab program? regards Mona Competing interests: None declared
Why are so many people homeless? 5 January 2007
Hugh Mann, Physician Eagle Rock, MO 65641 Send response to journal: Re: Why are so many people homeless?	The world is full of homeless people. They live in hospitals, prisons, shelters, shacks, and on the street. We try not to think about these people, because they remind us that our lives are not that secure. We assume that homeless people are derelicts who don't care about themselves, but this is not true. Homeless people are professionals, average people, senior citizens, and runaway teens, who are often helpless to change their situation. Homelessness is often the end result of malnutrition and addiction. As people become homeless, their diet and their addictions become worse. Homelessness and addiction are a vicious cycle that society can't correct. It's ironic that society promotes the sale of addictive substances but ignores the consequences of addiction. Society must choose between economic health and human health. Competing interests: None declared