title: Disease pattern and social needs of street people in the race course area of Kano, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study is aimed at examining street people on Race Course Street in Kano, Nigeria for prevalence of common diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive report.
  
  
  METHODS
  Institutional ethical approval was obtained. Information was obtained on age, sex, place of residence, drug habits, source of drinking water, toilet facility used, visual acuity, blood pressure, random blood sugar level, presence of skin diseases and physical disability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty five subjects were examined and 7 declined. There were 16 males and 49 females (M:F=1:3). The mean age was 48 + 9.2 years. They were mainly widows, some live in the street and have no access to basic amenities and six use non-narcotic medicinal substances. Diseases observed are hypertension, visual problems, and trauma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Religious factors, socio-cultural factors, and lack of government policy leads to poor access to health care for street people.
authors: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. lawal1966@yahoo.com
authors: Lawan
authors: L
authors: Abdu
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Withers
authors: Abdulrazaq G
authors: AG
authors: Habib
authors: Muhammad S
authors: MS
authors: Mijinyawa
authors: Shehu M
authors: SM
authors: Yusef
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D012947:Social Work; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult