Service-Learning: Promoting Empathy Through the Point-in-Time Count of Homeless Populations

Pierangeli, Lori; Lenhart, Clare M.

doi:10.3928/01484834-20180618-10

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Projects reported students interacting with hundreds of clients at a homeless shelter, a mega‐clinic and through a TB outreach program (Belcher & DeForge, 2012; Niemi, Payne, & Bates, 2018; Schoon, Champlin, & Hunt, 2012). Students reported feelings of value and enthusiasm, as well as an improved understanding of challenges faced by communities (Broussard, 2010; Champlin & Kunkel, 2017; Pennington, Coast, & Kroh, 2010; Pierangeli & Lenhart, 2018; Van Doren & Vander Werf, 2012). Suggestions included explicit support of key leaders in community organizations, increased support and training of faculty, increased evaluation of impact, and long‐term follow‐up of students and community outcomes (Dunlap, Marver, Morrow, Green, & Elam, 2011; Gillis & Mac Lellan, 2013; Sandberg, 2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Community Health Nursing Educators 2020 Research Priorities and Research in Action Model

McElroy

Stalter

Smith

2020

Public Health Nursing

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Community Health Nursing Educators 2020 Research Priorities and Research in Action Model

McElroy

Stalter

Smith

2020

Public Health Nursing

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“…Similar results were seen in another study conducted by Pierangeli et al which involved nursing and public health students participating in a point-in-time count of unsheltered homeless. The results demonstrated that students showed increased levels of empathy towards the homeless through a better understanding of the social determinants of health as well as a greater appreciation for the individual experiences of the homeless (Pierangeli and Lenhart, 2018). While this research demonstrates that interaction with the homeless can significantly impact empathetic attitudes, it also highlights the opportunity to examine if these results are generalisable to the Australian paramedic profession.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Paramedic student empathetic attitudes towards homelessness: a mixed methods pilot study

Prakash

Brown

Murphy

et al. 2020

IJES

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PurposeCurrent statistics highlight the increasing prevalence of homelessness in Australia, however, there is scant research regarding empathy and homelessness in the paramedic literature. Research in other areas of healthcare demonstrates that interaction with the homeless can positively impact empathetic attitudes and also highlights the opportunity to examine if these results are consistent or generalisable to the Australian paramedic profession. Therefore, the aim of our study was to explore paramedic students' empathetic attitudes towards homelessness.Design/methodology/approachA sequential mixed method design study was undertaken using a repeated measures and focus group approach. Paramedic students participated in clinical experience, involving interactions with the homeless. This entailed participating in at least four shifts (11 pm – 5 am) where students gained experience at the Salvation Army Health Café or with the Youth Street Teams in Melbourne, Australia. Empathy levels of the paramedic students toward homelessness, both pre- and post- were measured using the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS) and the Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward the Homeless Inventory (HPATHI). A focus group with student participants was also conducted to obtain further detailed information about their perceptions of the experience.FindingsA total of 20 students participated (100% response rate). Statistically significant (p < 0.05) increases were observed on the MCRS pre- to post- data with total mean scores of 48.35 (SD ± 8.33) and 51.65 (SD ± 5.56), respectively. On the HPATHI a statistically significant (p < 0.0001) increase in Personal Advocacy was observed. Eight of these students took part in a subsequent focus group. Following thematic analysis of the focus group, a number of common themes were identified that included: communication, empathy and rapport, and a change in perception and attitude.Originality/valueThe results of this pilot study demonstrate that through participation in a project involving experience interacting with the homeless population, paramedic students showed a greater level of empathy towards the homeless. Increases in empathetic regard, social advocacy and personal advocacy were also found.

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“…We also found that including students provided a feasible and excellent hands-on project for courses on research methods in social work and the social sciences in universities and community colleges with large percentages of local students embedded in the region. The use of local student populations enrolled in research classes to collaborate with local homeless coalitions to carry out homeless census is replicable elsewhere and has been done in the past (Hatchett 2004, Lin et al 2017; Pierangeli and Lenhart 2018). Adding an emphasis on the marginally housed produced a better count of the homeless population in El Paso.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Homeless Point-In-Time Counts: Uncovering the Marginally Housed

Smith

Castañeda-Tinoco

2018

Social Currents

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This article discusses improvements made to the methodology of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) point-in-time (PIT) homeless census. HUD’s PIT results are presented to Congress as official data for policy consideration. Yet, PIT methodology focuses on visible street homeless individuals and those in shelters while neglecting the “marginally housed” or less visible homeless who live in automobiles or temporarily stay with friends and extended family. Being a hidden population, the marginally housed has been a traditionally difficult population to study. We replicated HUD’s PIT count but additionally targeted the marginally housed to improve traditional methods of counting the homeless. We improve the PIT count in two ways: (1) by extensively training counters, and (2) by using the personal networks of hundreds of counters to seek out the marginally housed. Student researchers from a local university located 333 more homeless individuals than the local PIT, of which 153 were marginally housed. We do not claim this to be an exhaustive count of all the marginally housed in the region, but it is an initial step in developing methodologies to include this hidden population when calculating the total homeless population. This approach can also improve traditional homeless counts in other cities.

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Service-Learning: Promoting Empathy Through the Point-in-Time Count of Homeless Populations

Abstract: Health professional programs can use the PIT count to expose students to individuals living in poverty, as well as provide meaningful curricular opportunities to foster a culturally competent and empathetic health services work force. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(7):436-439.].

Cited by 17 publications

References 11 publications

Association of Community Health Nursing Educators 2020 Research Priorities and Research in Action Model

Association of Community Health Nursing Educators 2020 Research Priorities and Research in Action Model

Paramedic student empathetic attitudes towards homelessness: a mixed methods pilot study

Improving Homeless Point-In-Time Counts: Uncovering the Marginally Housed

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