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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 6/2016

01-06-2016 | Original Paper

Homelessness among a nationally representative sample of US veterans: prevalence, service utilization, and correlates

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 6/2016

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Abstract

Purpose

To examine the prevalence of lifetime homelessness among veterans and use of Veterans Affairs (VA) homeless services, as well as their association with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods

A nationally representative sample of 1533 US veterans was surveyed July–August 2015.

Results

Among all veterans, 8.5 % reported any lifetime homelessness in their adult life, but only 17.2 % of those reported using VA homeless services. Prevalence of homelessness and VA homeless service use did not significantly differ by gender. Being low income, aged 35–44, and having poor mental and physical health were each independently associated with lifetime homelessness. Veterans who were White or lived in rural areas were significantly less likely to have used VA homeless services.

Conclusions

Homelessness remains a substantial problem across different generations of veterans. The low reported uptake of VA homeless services suggests there are barriers to care in this population, especially for veterans who live in rural areas. Governmental resources dedicated to veteran homelessness should be supported, and obtaining accurate prevalence estimates are important to tracking progress over time.
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Metadata
Title
Homelessness among a nationally representative sample of US veterans: prevalence, service utilization, and correlates
Publication date
01-06-2016
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 6/2016
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1210-y

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