What happens to homeless mentally ill people? Follow up of residents of Oxford hostels for the homeless.
OBJECTIVE
To follow up severely mentally ill residents of hostels for the homeless to determine their social and psychiatric outcome.


METHODS
Follow up at 18 months of hostel residents previously assessed with psychiatric and behavioural measures.


METHODS
Two Oxford hostels for the homeless.


METHODS
48 hostel residents previously identified as disabled by mental illness.


METHODS
Current housing, admissions to psychiatric hospital, violent or antisocial behaviour, and score on standardised behavioural rating.


RESULTS
45 of the 48 residents were traced. 27 had remained in the hostels; only 10 had been rehoused, mainly in bedsits or with their families. 16 had a poor outcome as judged by death (four subjects), lengthy hospital readmission (two), marked deterioration in behaviour (six), sleeping rough (one), or disappearance (three).


CONCLUSIONS
More effort is needed to provide suitable housing for homeless mentally ill people.
Marshall
M
M
Oxford University, Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Headington.
Gath
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004739:England; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology