Universal health coverage for people experiencing homelessness in disasters: a scoping review

One of the primary objectives of delivering healthcare services during disasters is to prevent and minimize the impact of potential diseases, reduce fatalities, and provide assistance to people, especially those who are vulnerable. However, a vulnerable group that is often overlooked in this context is homeless individuals, who tend to receive inadequate healthcare services during disasters. To address this issue, a scoping review was conducted in early 2020 to analyze and consolidate evidence related to healthcare services provided to homeless people in disaster situations. In this study, a list of relevant keywords was identified and incorporated through a literature review, based on the input of three experts in the field. The research involved an examination of published articles to gain insight into the challenges and solutions affecting the provision and accessibility of healthcare, as well as the health conditions of homeless individuals during disasters. By extracting and categorizing underlying factors, challenges, and potential solutions, we have developed a valuable framework to promote universal health coverage for the homeless in disaster scenarios. This framework highlights specific areas that policymakers and homeless service providers should prioritize to enhance healthcare provision for homeless individuals during disasters.