Article
Health Services Use Among Veterans Using US Department of Veterans Affairs and Mainstream Homeless Services
World Medical & Health Policy
(2013)
Abstract
We examined the use of health and behavioral health services for two groups of
homeless veterans (N¼1,302) in the New York City area who were enrolled in the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system—veterans who use VA
homeless programs, and veterans who use mainstream homeless programs only.
Using administrative records from the VA and the New York City Department of
Homeless Services, we compared the characteristics of users of VA and mainstream
homeless programs and examined between-group differences in VA inpatient and outpatient
services use and within-group changes in services use prior and subsequent to
onset of homelessness. Roughly 41 percent of veterans only used mainstream
homeless services. There were no significant differences between users of VA
and mainstream homeless services in terms of gender,age, ethnicity, and level
of VA eligibility. Veterans who used only mainstream homeless assistance services
were less likely to be engaged with—and made less intensive use of—VA health
and behavioral health inpatient and outpatient services than those who used VA
homeless services. Efforts should be made to identify and engage veterans who,
while enrolled in VA healthcare, may go unidentified as homeless by the VA.
Keywords
- homelessness,
- veterans,
- health services
Disciplines
Publication Date
2013
Citation Information
Thomas Byrne, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, Daniel Treglia, Christopher Brent Roberts, et al.. "Health Services Use Among Veterans Using US Department of Veterans Affairs and Mainstream Homeless Services" World Medical & Health Policy Vol. 5 Iss. 4 (2013) p. 347 - 361 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/dennis_culhane/198/