Abstract
High usage of emergency treatment and hospitalization has been reported among homeless individuals. Hence, this study aimed to identify the sociodemographic predictors associated with overnight and emergency hospital treatment among a sample of homeless adults. Participants were recruited from a shelter in Dallas, Texas (N = 354; Mage = 43.7 ± 11.7) and were predominantly uninsured, low-income men from various racial groups. The outcome variables were: (a) stayed overnight for treatment in a hospital; and (b) treated in a hospital emergency room. In logistic regression models, sex emerged as the only predictor of overnight treatment in a hospital (OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.61–4.47), and treatment in an emergency room (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.34–3.65), such that women were more likely than men to be treated overnight and use emergency care. Targeted interventions and policies are needed to address homeless women’s primary care needs and reduce costlier treatment.
Highlights
On any given night, over half of a million individuals experience homelessness in the UnitedStates [1]
Sex emerged as the only predictor of overnight treatment in hospital (OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.61–4.47), and treatment in an emergency room (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.34–3.65), such that women were more likely than men to be treated overnight and use emergency care
Findings emphasize the need for access to primary care and preventive services for homeless adults, which could result in decreased emergency room use and hospitalization
Summary
Over half of a million individuals experience homelessness in the UnitedStates [1]. Homeless individuals experience high rates of disease burden in addition to dealing with various competing problems on a daily basis [2,3,4]. Homeless individuals are more likely to utilize the emergency department and undergo frequent hospitalizations relative to the general/domiciled population [6,7]. Research suggests that homeless individuals are three times more likely to have undergone emergency treatment in the hospital at least once in the past year relative to domiciled individuals [7]. Homeless individuals have high rates of hospitalizations, with 17% reporting overnight hospitalization in the past year [8], compared to 7.1% of the domiciled population over the same time frame [9]
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