Information about wounds for unsheltered people and service providers

• Higher risk of burns, frostbite, insect bites, and traumatic injuries
• Circulation and vein problems in the legs from being unable to lay flat to sleep on a regular basis
• Slower wound healing due to chronic stress and lack of sleep
• Must prioritize immediate safety and survival over other needs

• Difficult to keep wounds clean and obtain bandaging supplies
• Exposure to bacteria in the environment
• Lack of bathroom facilities and handwashing access

• Difficult to get enough key nutrients for healing, such as protein

• Transportation and logistical barriers to accessing care
• Untreated chronic conditions, such as diabetes, that complicate wound healing
• Experiences with stigma and discrimination in medical settings

• Harm reduction information and sterile supplies are critical to preventing abscesses and skin infections, but unsheltered people face barriers to accessing these services.
• Living unsheltered makes it difficult to implement infection prevention techniques, such as cleaning the skin prior to injecting.
• Factors such as cold and dehydration increase the risk of vein scarring, leading to circulation problems that can cause chronic wounds.
• Difficulty finding a vein also increases the likelihood that a person will inject into muscle or subcutaneous tissue, which carry a higher risk of abscesses and infections.

Information about where to get new, sterile injection supplies can be found at kingcounty.gov/needle