Dataset Information

Morbidity and mortality in a prospective cohort of people who were homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Certain living conditions, such as homelessness, increase health risks in epidemic situations. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on morbidity and mortality in adult people who were homeless.

Methods

The study population comprised around 40% of the entire population experiencing homelessness in Marseille. They were enrolled at 48 different locations during the first pandemic wave (June to August 2020) and were followed up 3 and 6 months later. Rapid serological screening for SARS-CoV-2 was performed by community outreach teams at each follow-up, who also conducted interviews. Death registers and hospital administrative databases were consulted.

Results

A total of 1,332 participants [mean age 40.1 years [SD 14.2], women 339 (29.9%)] were enrolled in the cohort. Of these, 192 (14.4%) participants were found positive for COVID-19 and were propensity score matched (1:3) and compared with 553 non-COVID-19 cases. Living in emergency shelters was associated with COVID-19 infection. While 56.3% of the COVID-19-infected cohort reported no symptoms, 25.0% were hospitalized due to the severity of the disease. Presence of three or more pre-existing comorbidities was associated with all-cause hospitalization. Among COVID-19 cases, only older age was associated with COVID-19 hospitalization. Three deaths occurred in the cohort, two of which were among the COVID-19 cases.

Conclusion

The study provides new evidence that the population experiencing homelessness faces higher risks of infection and hospitalization due to COVID-19 than the general population. Despite the efforts of public authorities, the health inequities experienced by people who are homeless remained major. More intensive and appropriate integrated care and earlier re-housing are needed.

SUBMITTER: Loubiere S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10536263 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Morbidity and mortality in a prospective cohort of people who were homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loubiere Sandrine S Hafrad Ikrame I Monfardini Elisabetta E Mosnier Marine M Bosetti Thomas T Auquier Pascal P Mosnier Emilie E Tinland Aurélie A

Frontiers in public health 20230914

<h4>Introduction</h4>Certain living conditions, such as homelessness, increase health risks in epidemic situations. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on morbidity and mortality in adult people who were homeless.<h4>Methods</h4>The study population comprised around 40% of the entire population experiencing homelessness in Marseille. They were enrolled at 48 different locations during the first pandemic wave (June to August 202 ...[more]

PMID: 37780443

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundHospitalizations fell precipitously among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains unclear whether individuals experiencing homelessness experienced similar reductions.ObjectiveTo examine how overall and cause-specific hospitalizations changed among individuals with a recent history of homelessness (IRHH) and their housed counterparts during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, using corresponding weeks in 2019 as a historical control.DesignPopulation-based cohort study conducted in Ontario, Canada, between September 30, 2018, and September 26, 2020.ParticipantsIn total, 38,617 IRHH, 15,022,368 housed individuals, and 186,858 low-income housed individuals matched on age, sex, rurality, and comorbidity burden.Main measuresPrimary outcomes included medical-surgical, non-elective (overall and cause-specific), elective surgical, and psychiatric hospital admissions.Key resultsAverage rates of medical-surgical (rate ratio: 3.8, 95% CI: 3.7-3.8), non-elective (10.3, 95% CI: 10.1-10.4), and psychiatric admissions (128.1, 95% CI: 126.1-130.1) between January and September 2020 were substantially higher among IRHH compared to housed individuals. During the peak period (March 17 to June 16, 2020), rates of medical-surgical (0.47, 95% CI: 0.47-0.47), non-elective (0.80, 95% CI: 0.79-0.80), and psychiatric admissions (0.86, 95% CI: 0.84-0.88) were significantly lower among housed individuals relative to equivalent weeks in 2019. No significant changes were observed among IRHH. During the re-opening period (June 17-September 26, 2020), rates of non-elective hospitalizations for liver disease (1.41, 95% CI: 1.23-1.69), kidney disease (1.29, 95% CI: 1.14-1.47), and trauma (1.19, 95% CI: 1.07-1.32) increased substantially among IRHH but not housed individuals. Distinct hospitalization patterns were observed among IRHH even in comparison with more medically and socially vulnerable matched housed individuals.ConclusionsPersistence in overall hospital admissions and increases in non-elective hospitalizations for liver disease, kidney disease, and trauma indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for recently homeless individuals. Health systems must better address the needs of this population during public health crises.

Dataset Information

Morbidity and mortality in a prospective cohort of people who were homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Morbidity and mortality in a prospective cohort of people who were homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Similar Datasets

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