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Bella Schanzer, MD, MPH, Boanerges Dominguez, MS, Patrick E. Shrout, PhD and Carol L.M. Caton, PhD

Bella Schanzer is with the 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. At the time of the study, Boanerges Dominguez was with the Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health. Patrick E. Shrout is with the Department of Psychology, New York University, New York. Carol L. M. Caton is with the Center for Homelessness Prevention Studies, the Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, and the Department of Psychiatry, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Bella Schanzer, MD, MPH, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 600 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032. (e-mail: bms12{at}columbia.edu).

Objectives. 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.

Conclusion. 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.

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