Differences in attitudes among health professions students and educators toward people experiencing homelessness: Novel correlations with physical comfort, prior experiences, and interest in learning.

Abstract

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face significant barriers to primary care, compounded by stigma from healthcare professionals. Health professions education offers a critical window of time to shape attitudes, yet research suggests these attitudes can worsen during training. A cross-sectional survey at a multi-professional graduate institution assessed attitudes toward PEH among students and educators across seven health professions colleges. Attitudes varied significantly by profession, with osteopathic medicine and graduate nursing reporting more favorable views than pharmacy, veterinary medicine, dental medicine, physician assistant studies, and physical therapy. More positive attitudes were associated with greater physical comfort, more frequent prior experiences with PEH, and higher interest in learning about homelessness. Respondents who expressed interest in receiving more information afterwards also scored significantly higher on attitude measures. Findings suggest that targeted, profession-specific educational interventions that emphasize meaningful exposure to PEH may improve attitudes. Integrating experiential learning alongside didactic content could foster more holistic, equitable care across disciplines.