Homelessness Increases Mortality Risk For Older Adults

For adults age 50 and older who were experiencing homelessness, several factors increased their risk of dying. People who remained homeless over time (compared to those who obtained housing) were nearly two times more likely to die, while those who became homeless later in life were 1.6 times likelier to die. The risk of death was 6.36 times higher among those who were institutionalized after becoming homeless.

The most common causes of death were heart disease (14.5% of deaths), cancer (14.5% of deaths), and drug overdose (12.0% of deaths). Based on the same cohort study . . .