Housing as an intervention on hospital use: Access among chronically homeless persons with disabilities

Abstract

A study examining demographics and hospital utilization for chronically homeless persons with disabilities was conducted at pre-housing enrollment and at 6 months post-housing. Of the 20 participants, 70% (n=14) were Black American and 30% (n=6) were White; 100% (n=20) were non-Hispanic; 90% (n=18) were men; 40% (n=8) were veterans; Median years since last permanent housing and total homelessness were 7 and 10.5 respectively. The following increases were observed: employment (0 to 1); income (20%, n=4 to 35%, n=7); primary care (25%, n=5 to 95%, n=19); and mental health service use (25%, n=5 to 60%, n=12). Known disabilities included HIV (15%, n=3); hepatitis C (45%, n=9); mental illness (60%, n=12) and substance abuse (80%, n=16) with 45% (n=9) dually diagnosed. Over the course of the study, Emergency department visits and inpatient hospitalization use decreased. While these differences were not statistically significant (p=0.14 and p=0.31, respectively), they translate to an estimated $250,208 savings. © 2010 The New York Academy of Medicine.