Health outcomes of obtaining housing among older homeless adults

R.T. Brown, Y. Miao, S.L. Mitchell, M. Bharel, M. Patel, K.L. Ard, L.J. Grande, D. Blazey-Martin, D. Floru and M.A. Steinman

American Journal of Public Health, 2015, vol. 105, issue 7, 1482-1488

Abstract: Objectives. We determined the impact of obtaining housing on geriatric conditions and acute care utilization among older homeless adults. Methods. We conducted a 12-month prospective cohort study of 250 older homeless adults recruited from shelters in Boston, Massachusetts, between January and June 2010. We determined housing status at follow-up, determined number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations over 12 months, and examined 4 measures of geriatric conditions at baseline and 12 months. Using multivariable regression models, we evaluated the association between obtaining housing and our outcomes of interest. Results. At 12-month follow-up, 41% of participants had obtained housing. Compared with participants who remained homeless, thosewith housing had fewer depressive symptoms. Other measures of health status did not differ by housing status. Participantswho obtained housing had a lower rate of acute care use,with an adjusted annualized rate of acute care visits of 2.5 per year among participants who obtained housing and 5.3 per year among participants who remained homeless. Conclusions. Older homeless adults who obtained housing experienced improved depressive symptoms and reduced acute care utilization compared with those who remained homeless.

Keywords: aged; depression; emergency health service; female; health status; homelessness; hospitalization; housing; human; male; middle aged; psychology; statistics and numerical data; United States; utilization, Aged; Boston; Depression; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Health Status; Homeless Persons; Hospitalization; Housing; Humans; Male; Middle Aged (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.302539_9

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302539

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