Preventing and treating human immunodeficiency virus infection in the homeless.

The problem of human immunodeficiency virus infection in the homeless has received little attention in the literature but is a cause for serious concern. Nineteen health care agencies were studied to explore the types and outcomes of programs targeting this population, and factors associated with prevention and treatment strategies. The results showed that a variety of services were provided, but that little formal evaluation had been conducted. Factors identified were population variability, altered health status, daily survival, provider role conflicts and attributes, and a so-called nonsystem of care. The numerous gaps in knowledge about human immunodeficiency virus infection in the homeless inform future psychiatric nursing care and research.