A 5-year comparison of emergency department visits by homeless and non-homeless patients

Publication date: Available online 11 January 2016
Source:The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
Author(s): Allison Tadros, Shelley M. Layman, Marissa Pantaleone Brewer, Stephen M. Davis
BackgroundA 2005 study examined Emergency Department (ED) utilization by homeless patients in the United States. Within the following five years, unemployment increased by 5%.ObjectiveTo analyze changes in ED utilization between 2005 and 2010 by homeless patients and compare to non-homeless visits.MethodsData from the 2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was evaluated.ResultsApproximately 679,854 visits were made by homeless patients, the majority of which were made by males (72.3%) and patients between the ages of 45–64 (50.5%). Homeless patients were twice as likely to be uninsured. ED visits by homeless patients had increased by 44% during the 5year period. Arrival to the ED by ambulance increased by 14% between the study years and homeless patients were less likely to be admitted.ConclusionThe number of visits by homeless patients in the ED increased proportionally to an overall increase in ED visits between 2005 and 2010.

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