Building a sustainable and inclusive future for Wales is at the heart of the constitution of the National Assembly for Wales, which means forging a crosscutting approach to social policy. Improving health is a strategic priority within this agenda, and homelessness and housing appear to be at the center of the Assembly Government's vision of developing sustainable and cohesive communities and promoting social inclusion. This article considers the links between homelessness and mental and physical ill health and the importance of combating homelessness and poor housing within the health agenda in Wales. The article cites the links between homelessness and health identified in the United Kingdom and in international research and highlights the growth in homelessness witnessed during the late 1990s and beginning of the 21"1 Century. The paper considers the significant increase of homelessness and assesses whether, in reality, sufficient practical measures are being taken to combat homelessness as a means of tackling ill health in Wales. The authors conclude that although Wales is making progress toward an integrated approach to health and well-being and that the need to tackle broader health determinants has gained recognition, investment in effectively tackling homelessness and exclusion is needed. Integrating the broader housing, homelessness, and health agendas could contribute to health gains in Wales.

Mani Mina has been with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University since 2001. He has extensive industrial and academic experience. His current research interests include physical layer systems, measurements and testing, applied electromagnetism, optical networking, magneto-optical switching, nondestructive testing and evaluation, and innovative methods of teaching technology. He is also one of the leading educators in the area of technological literacy to non-engineering students. He has been a recipient of several teaching and research awards. He is an active member of ASEE and IEEE. He is also an active member of IEEE Education, Magnetic, and Ethics Societies.

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