Health Conditions Common in this Population Homeless people often face numerous and overlapping health challenges. Despite this reality, we know very little about the relative physical health of homeless people compared to other groups in the nation. The information we do have suggests that homeless men and women have higher rates of a number of health conditions, many of which can affect HIV and vice versa. Since then, TB infection rates have been on the rise for people living in boarding homes, hotels, residential treatment programs and jails. Because HIV can hasten the progression to active TB, this frequency of co-infection in homeless communities is particularly alarming.
Treatment can last from six months to a year.
This regimen presents multiple challenges to HIV positive homeless people. INH comes with its own set of side effects including nausea, diarrhea, peripheral neuritis and liver dysfunction. Peripheral neuritis, the most common adverse effect of INH, occurs most frequently in malnourished patients, thus posing a particular threat to many homeless people. Liver dysfunction is equally hazardous. These treatment challenges are so overwhelming that co-infected homeless persons must frequently choose between treating their TB or HIV, or have that decision made for them and enforced by public health officials.