@article{ref1,
title="Increased mortality among older veterans admitted to VA homelessness programs",
journal="Psychiatric services",
year="2015",
author="Schinka, John A. and Bossarte, Robert M. and Curtiss, Glenn and Lapcevic, William A. and Casey, Roger J.",
volume="67",
number="4",
pages="465-468",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: National Death Index data were examined to describe mortality patterns among older veterans who are homeless. <br><br>METHODS: Homelessness and health care records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs were used to identify old (ages 55-59) and older (ages ≥60) veterans who were (N=4,475) or were not (N=20,071) homeless. Survival functions and causes of death of the two samples over an 11-year follow-up period were compared. <br><br>RESULTS: Substantially more veterans who were homeless (34.9%) died compared with the control sample (18.2%). Veterans who were homeless were approximately 2.5 years younger at time of death compared with the control sample. Older veterans who were homeless had the lowest survival rate (58%). No disease category appeared to be critical in reducing survival time. Suicide was twice as frequent in the homeless (.4%) versus the control (.2%) sample. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Older veterans who were homeless experienced excess mortality and increased suicide risk.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1075-2730",
doi="10.1176/appi.ps.201500095",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201500095"
}