Application of the Frailty Framework among Vulnerable Populations to Hospitalization Outcomes of Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Long Beach, California.

Background: Individuals experiencing homelessness have a high prevalence of infectious diseases that may result in hospitalization. However, low ability to navigate the healthcare system and lack of health insurance may mean that those who are experiencing homelessness may not receive the healthcare that they need.

Objectives: This study uses risk factors at baseline to predict hospitalization at follow-up. This paper also presents the associations between reporting homelessness and selected infectious diseases.

Research design: Longitudinal study of baseline and follow-up conducted August 2000 through July 2014.

Subjects: 4916 Not experiencing homelessness mean age 37.9 years, 29% female, and 2692 experiencing homelessness age 42.1 years, 29% female received services from a research/service center in a low-income, high-crime area of Long Beach, CA.

Measures: Risk Behavior Assessment, Risk Behavior Follow-up Assessment, laboratory testing for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.

Results: Predictors of hospitalization at follow-up were ever use of crack cocaine, income from Social Security or disability, reporting homelessness, female, and those who identify as Black compared to White race/ethnicity.

Conclusions: Income from the safety net of Social Security or disability appears to provide the participant with experience that transfers to being able to obtain healthcare. A higher proportion of those experiencing homelessness, compared to those not experiencing homelessness, appear to be hospitalized at follow-up. Women, those who identified as Black, and those who used crack at baseline are more likely to be hospitalized at follow-up whether or not they were experiencing homelessness. We recommend coordination with substance abuse treatment programs for discharge planning for homeless patients. Our findings support use of the Frailty Framework when working with individuals experiencing both homelessness and hospitalization.