The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40744

Rene I. Jahiel, MDPhD, President, International Health Policy Research, 250 Main Street(#732), Hartford, CT 06106, 860-547-1202, jahiel@nso2.uchc.edu and Peter J Ellis, MD, MPH, Primary Care Internal Medicine, Yale University and Waterbury Hospital, 64 Robbins Street, Waterbury, CT 06721.

HOMELESS AND NEAR-HOMELESS PEOPLE IN A HOSPITAL-BASED CLINIC

RENE I. JAHIEL, MD, PHD AND PETER ELLIS, MD, MPH

The object is to find the prevalence of risks for homelessness among patients attending a general medical clinic. The setting is a community hospital-based teaching clinic, where 240 patients a week are seen by 37 internal medicine residents under the supervision of university-based faculty. A screening instrument lists: 8 homelessness associated risk factors within the last 3 months: previous homelessness; doubling up; eviction notice; spending 50% + of income on rent and utilities; home hazardous to health; overcrowded home; otherwise unsatisfactory home; and recent institutionalization in the correctional or medical systems. The Q was filled by 229 patients to date. Salient findings were the high frequency of a) patients spending more than one third of income on rent and utilities (35%); b) doubling up (11%); and c) unsatisfactory home (15%). Sixty percent of patients reported a satisfactory home. The results show that people at risk of homelessness can be identified readily in a general medical clinic. This suggests a model where social services would be alerted about these patients and would initiate preemptive measures to try to prevent homelessness. In conclusion, general medical clinics are a potentially important resource for early detection of patients at risk of homelessness and intervention.

Learning Objectives:

• An instrument to assess the housing status of patients attending hospital clinics is described. The participants will learn to recognize patients at risk of homelessness. At the conclusion of the session, the participants will be able to list 5 risk factors for homelessness that may be detected during a clinic visit.

Keywords: Homelessness, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.