title: The causes of homelessness in later life: findings from a 3-nation study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article presents findings from a study of the causes of homelessness among newly homeless older people in selected urban areas of the United States, England, and Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews were conducted in each country with > or =122 older people who had become homeless during the last 2 years. Information was also collected from the subjects' key workers about the circumstances and problems that contributed to homelessness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two-thirds of the subjects had never been homeless before. Antecedent causes were the accommodation was sold or needed repair, rent arrears, death of a close relative, relationship breakdown, and disputes with other tenants and neighbors. Contributory factors were physical and mental health problems, alcohol abuse, and gambling problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most subjects became homeless through a combination of personal problems and incapacities, welfare policy gaps, and service delivery deficiencies. Whereas there are nation-specific variations, across the three countries, the principal causes and their interactions are similar.
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing, University of Sheffield, Elmfield, Northumberland Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S10 2TU, UK. m.a.crane@sheffield.ac.uk
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lipmann
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mirabelli
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rota-Bartelink
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shea
authors.forename: Hope
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: Anthony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Warnes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology