Changes in health and health care utilization following eviction from public housing

Objectives: This study sought to (1) determine the number of persons evicted from the Durham Housing Authority (DHA) over a 5-year period, (2) explore changes in the number of persons with various medical diagnoses and health care utilization patterns before and after eviction, and (3) examine how many persons evicted from DHA became literally homeless.

Design: This was a pre/post cross-sectional quantitative study.

Sample: Heads of households evicted from DHA properties from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2017 were included in the study.

Measurements: We matched people evicted by the DHA in a university health system electronic health record system to determine changes in diagnoses and health care utilization before and after eviction. We also matched the cohort in the homeless management information system to determine how many persons evicted became literally homeless.

Results: Findings indicate statistically significant increases in persons with medical diagnoses in five of ten categories, total hospital admissions, and emergency department visits after eviction. Of the 152 people included in the study, 34 (22%) became literally homeless.

Conclusions: Health and health care utilization patterns were different before and after eviction. Implications for clinicians are explored.