ArticleResearch square2026
Healthcare First: Delivering Immediate, Non-Contingent, and Coordinated Services Through the Street Medicine Model.
Article in Research square, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Background: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face disproportionate morbidity and mortality due to structural barriers that restrict healthcare access. Conventional health systems often exacerbate these inequities through conditional treatment models requiring readiness, compliance, or abstinence. Street medicine - interdisciplinary teams delivering care directly in community settings - has emerged as a critical response. Despite its growth, limited qualitative research explores patient perspectives on how street medicine structures care to counter systemic exclusion. This study examines the experiences of unhoused patients receiving street medicine care in Bakersfield, California. Methods: Between March and May 2025, we conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with individuals receiving street medicine services in Bakersfield, California. Eligible participants were aged ≥ 18, English-speaking, and had received care within six months. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed iteratively in ATLAS.ti. Coding and memo writing were used to develop a conceptual model describing how street medicine structures healthcare delivery and engagement. Results: Participants described street medicine as characterized by three interrelated mechanisms: (1) immediate, non-contingent access fostering trust and engagement; (2) integration of harm-reduction principles across medical and behavioral services; and (3) embedded navigation reframing adherence as a system-supported process. Collectively, these processes aligned with a Healthcare First model that parallels Housing First by emphasizing immediacy, choice, and voluntary engagement. Conclusions: Street medicine reframed healthcare as a right rather than a conditional service, countering structural exclusion through accessibility, consistency, and dignity. Findings underscore the importance of institutionalizing Healthcare First principles to promote equity and continuity of care for PEH.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.