Examining mortality among formerly homeless adults enrolled in Housing First: An observational study

Abstract

BackgroundAdults who experience prolonged homelessness have mortality rates 3 to 4 times that of the general population. Housing First (HF) is an evidence-based practice that effectively ends chronic homelessness, yet there has been virtually no research on premature mortality among HF enrollees. In the United States, this gap in the literature exists despite research that has suggested chronically homeless adults constitute an aging cohort, with nearly half aged 50 years old or older.MethodsThis observational study examined mortality among formerly homeless adults in an HF program. We examined death rates and causes of death among HF participants and assessed the timing and predictors of death among HF participants following entry into housing. We also compared mortality rates between HF participants and (a) members of the general population and (b) individuals experiencing homelessness. We supplemented these analyses with a comparison of the causes of death and characteristics of decedents in the HF program with a sample of adults identified as homeless in the same city at the time of death through a formal review process.ResultsThe majority of decedents in both groups were between the ages of 45 and 64 at their time of death; the average age at death for HF participants was 57, compared to 53 for individuals in the homeless sample. Among those in the HF group, 72 % died from natural causes, compared to 49 % from the homeless group. This included 21 % of HF participants and 7 % from the homeless group who died from cancer. Among homeless adults, 40 % died from an accident, which was significantly more than the 14 % of HF participants who died from an accident. HIV or other infectious diseases contributed to 13 % of homeless deaths compared to only 2 % of HF participants. Hypothermia contributed to 6 % of homeless deaths, which was not a cause of death for HF participants.ConclusionsResults suggest HF participants face excess mortality in comparison to members of the general population and that mortality rates among HF participants are higher than among those reported among members of the general homeless population in prior studies. However, findings also suggest that causes of death may differ between HF participants and their homeless counterparts. Specifically, chronic diseases appear to be more prominent causes of death among HF participants, indicating the potential need for integrating medical support and end-of-life care in HF.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2552-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Examining the health status of homeless adults entering permanent supportive housing

“…[5][6][7] In addition, because PSH is a relatively scarce resource, there is a growing practice known as vulnerability indexing wherein homeless individuals with higher risk of mortality due to medical conditions receive priority for placement in PSH. 8 Taken together, the health status of those entering PSH is likely worse than previously reported in the literature.…”

Communicable disease among people experiencing homelessness in California

“…Limited evidence suggests that housing will be beneficial for other groups as well: among chronically ill homeless adults, permanent supportive housing was associated with decreased mortality. Only 2% of the housed individuals died of infectious causes compared to 13% of unhoused individuals [69]. Permanent supportive housing programmes provide a suite of healthcare and social services to help individuals stay healthy and housed [69].…”

“…Only 2% of the housed individuals died of infectious causes compared to 13% of unhoused individuals [69]. Permanent supportive housing programmes provide a suite of healthcare and social services to help individuals stay healthy and housed [69]. For example, treatment of comorbid substance use disorders and mental illness can help decrease the risk of communicable diseases and increase a person's capacity for self-care.…”

Self‐reported health, healthcare service use and health‐related needs: A comparison of older and younger homeless people

“…Additionally, they face specific challenges and barriers to accessing healthcare, often resulting in high rates of acute care use (Fazel et al, ). Furthermore, homelessness has shown to be an independent risk factor for mortality, with average ages of mortality varying roughly between 50 and 65 years in different studies in Western, high‐income countries (Baggett et al, ; Henwood, Byrne, & Scriber, ; Morrison, ; Nielsen et al, ; Stenius‐Ayoade et al, ). Therefore, at these generally still considered middle ages, homeless people are already classified as old (Fazel et al, ).…”