Homelessness, health status, and health care use.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known about the health status of those who are newly homeless. We sought to describe the health status and health care use of new clients of homeless shelters and observe changes in these health indicators over the study period.


METHODS
We conducted a longitudinal study of 445 individuals from their entry into the homeless shelter system through the subsequent 18 months.


RESULTS
Disease was prevalent in the newly homeless. This population accessed health care services at high rates in the year before becoming homeless. Significant improvements in health status were seen over the study period as well as a significant increase in the number who were insured.


CONCLUSIONS
Newly homeless persons struggle under the combined burdens of residential instability and significant levels of physical disease and mental illness, but many experience some improvements in their health status and access to care during their time in the homeless shelter system.
Schanzer
Bella
B
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Center for Homelessness Prevention Studies, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. bms12@columbia.edu
Dominguez
Boanerges
B
Shrout
Patrick E
PE
Caton
Carol L M
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends*; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011633:Public Facilities; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*