Risk factors for homelessness among women veterans.
BACKGROUND
Women veterans are three to four times more likely than non-veteran women to become homeless. However, their risk factors for homelessness have not been defined.


METHODS
Case-control study of non-institutionalized homeless women veterans (n533) and age-matched housed women veterans (n=165). Health, health care, and factors associated with homelessness were assessed using multiple logistic regression with a Monte Carlo algorithm to estimate exact standard errors of the model coefficients and p-values.


RESULTS
Characteristics associated with homelessness were sexual assault during military service, being unemployed, being disabled, having worse overall health, and screening positive for an anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. Protective factors were being a college graduate or married.


CONCLUSIONS
Efforts to assess housed women veterans' risk factors for homelessness should be integrated into clinical care programs within and outside the Veterans Administration. Programs that work to ameliorate risk factors may prevent these women's living situations from deteriorating over time.
Washington
Donna L
DL
Health and Equity at the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Center of Excellence, Los Angeles, CA, USA. donna.washington@va.gov
Yano
Elizabeth M
EM
McGuire
James
J
Hines
Vivian
V
Lee
Martin
M
Gelberg
Lillian
L
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015141:Los Angeles; D008875:Middle Aged; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D012307:Risk Factors; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*