Is Gaining Housing Associated With Higher Rates of Cancer Screening Among US Veterans Experiencing Homelessness?

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

People experiencing homelessness have lower rates of cancer screening than housed people, contributing to later stages at cancer diagnosis and poor outcomes. We examined whether gaining housing increased rates of cancer screening in a cohort of homeless veterans.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study examining all veterans experiencing homelessness who were eligible for, but not up to date on, colorectal and breast cancer screening from 2011 to 2021. Our exposure was gaining housing in the 24 months after the index clinic visit, conceptualized as a time-varying covariate. Our primary outcome was undergoing breast or colorectal screening in the 24 months after that visit. We performed bivariate analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis, clustering on

SUBMITTER: Decker H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12306998 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature