Abstract
Evaluating of a pen-pal curriculum innovation: a novel tool to teach medical students empathy for homelessness
Highlights
Homelessness is one of the most significant social determinants of health
Medical students' impressions of the Pen-Pal Project were overwhelmingly positive and were frequently attributed to developing a genuine and mutually beneficial relationship with a community member. From learning about their pen-pals’ emotional experiences with healthcare and homelessness, students partaking in the Pen-pal Project endorsed improved communication, advocacy, and empathy skills
Homelessness education was unanimously perceived as important, all students believed that current medical curricula are lacking in this area
Summary
Homelessness is one of the most significant social determinants of health. Compared to the housed population, individuals who experience homelessness face poorer health outcomes that can be attributed to poverty, barriers to accessing healthcare, problems with treatment adherence due to precarious housing security, and increased delays in seeking care (Hwang, 2001). Patients who have a history of housing insecurity, those who have a diagnosis of mental illness, often do not seek out medical care due to perceived stigma and barriers to empathy (Zlotnick, Zerger and Wolfe, 2013). A significant determinant of receiving healthcare is whether or not the patient feels comfortable with the physician. Patients who have experienced homelessness often sense stigma during the clinical encounter as well as barriers to empathy
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