Angela Russolillo

Emergency department utilisation among formerly homeless adults with mental disorders after one year of Housing First interventions: a randomised controlled trial

Homeless individuals represent a disadvantaged and marginalised group who experience increased rates of physical illness as well as mental and substance use disorders. Compared to stably housed individuals, homeless adults with mental disorders use hospital emergency departments and other acute health care services at a higher frequency. Housing First integrates housing and support services in a client-centred model and has been shown to reduce acute health care among homeless populations. The present analysis is based on participants enrolled in the Vancouver At Home Study (n = 297) randomised to one of three intervention arms (Housing First in a ‘congregate setting’, in ‘scattered site’ [SS] apartments in the private rental market, or to ‘treatment as usual’ [TAU] where individuals continue to use existing services available to homeless adults with mental illness), and incorporates linked data from a regional database representing six urban emergency departments. Compared to TAU, significantly lower numbers of emergency visits were observed during the post-randomisation period in the SS group (adjusted rate ratio 0.55 [0.35,0.86]). Our results suggest that Housing First, particularly the SS model, produces significantly lower hospital emergency department visits among homeless adults with a mental disorder. These findings demonstrate the potential effectiveness of Housing First to reduce acute health care use among homeless individuals and have implications for future health and housing policy initiatives.

The prevalence and geographic distribution of complex co-occurring disorders: a population study.

AIMS A subset of people with co-occurring substance use and mental disorders require coordinated support from health, social welfare and justice agencies to achieve diversion from homelessness, criminal recidivism and further health and social harms. Integrated models of care are typically concentrated in large urban centres. The present study aimed to empirically measure the prevalence and distribution of complex co-occurring disorders (CCD) in a large geographic region that includes urban as well as rural and remote settings. METHODS Linked data were examined in a population of roughly 3.7 million adults. Inclusion criteria for the CCD subpopulation were: physician diagnosed substance use and mental disorders; psychiatric hospitalisation; shelter assistance; and criminal convictions. Prevalence per 100 000 was calculated in 91 small areas representing urban, rural and remote settings. RESULTS 2202 individuals met our inclusion criteria for CCD. Participants had high rates of hospitalisation (8.2 admissions), criminal convictions (8.6 sentences) and social assistance payments (over

Food Insecurity among Homeless Adults with Mental Illness

36 000 CDN) in the past 5 years. There was wide variability in the geographic distribution of people with CCD, with high prevalence rates in rural and remote settings. CONCLUSIONS People with CCD are not restricted to areas with large populations or to urban settings. The highest per capita rates of CCD were observed in relatively remote locations, where mental health and substance use services are typically in limited supply. Empirically supported interventions must be adapted to meet the needs of people living outside of urban settings with high rates of CCD.

Characteristics of adherence to methadone maintenance treatment over a 15-year period among homeless adults experiencing mental illness

Background The prevalence of food insecurity and food insufficiency is high among homeless people. We investigated the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among a cohort of homeless adults with mental illness in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Methods Data collected from baseline questionnaires in the Vancouver At Home study were analysed to calculate the prevalence of food insecurity within the sample (n = 421). A modified version of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Adult Food Security Survey Module was used to ascertain food insecurity. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine potential correlates of food insecurity. Results The prevalence of food insecurity was 64%. In the multivariable model, food insecurity was significantly associated with age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95–0.99), less than high school completion (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.35–0.93), needing health care but not receiving it (aOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.00–2.72), subjective mental health (aOR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96–0.99), having spent over

Methadone maintenance treatment and mortality in people with criminal convictions: a population-based retrospective cohort study from Canada.

500 for drugs and alcohol in the past month (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.16–4.36), HIV/AIDS (aOR = 4.20; 95% CI: 1.36–12.96), heart disease (aOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.16–0.97) and having gone to a drop-in centre, community meal centre or program/food bank (aOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.01–2.68). Conclusions The prevalence of food insecurity was extremely high in a cohort with longstanding homelessness and serious mental illness. Younger age, needing health care but not receiving it, poorer subjective mental health, having spent over

The effect of Housing First on adherence to methadone maintenance treatment

500 for drugs and alcohol in the past month, HIV/AIDS and having gone to a drop-in centre, community meal centre or program/food bank each increased odds of food insecurity, while less than high school completion and heart disease each decreased odds of food insecurity. Interventions to reduce food insecurity in this population are urgently needed.

Accuracy of reported service use in a cohort of people who are chronically homeless and seriously mentally ill.

Background Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has important protective effects related to reduced illicit opioid use, infectious disease transmission, and overdose mortality. Adherence to MMT has not been examined among homeless people. We measured MMT adherence and reported relevant characteristics among homeless adults experiencing mental illness in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Material and methods Homeless adults living with mental illness who had received MMT prior to the baseline interview of the Vancouver At Home study (n = 78) were included in analyses. The medication possession ratio (MPR) was used to estimate MMT adherence from retrospective administrative pharmacy and public health insurance data collected across 15 years. Independent sample t tests and one-way ANOVA were used to test for significant differences in MMT MPR by participant characteristics. Results Mean MMT MPR was 0.47. A large proportion of participants reported blood-borne infectious disease, three or more chronic physical health conditions, and substance use. Being single and never married was associated with significantly lower MMT MPR (0.40 vs. 0.55, p = 0.036), while living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or a mood disorder with psychotic features was associated with significantly higher MMT MPR (0.54 vs. 0.37, p = 0.022). Daily drug use (excluding alcohol) was associated with significantly lower MMT MPR (0.39 vs. 0.54, p = 0.051). Conclusions The level of adherence to MMT was very low among homeless adults experiencing mental illness. Efforts are needed to improve adherence to MMT as a means of reducing illicit substance use, preventing overdose deaths, and attenuating infectious disease transmission.

A 10-year retrospective analysis of hospital admissions and length of stay among a cohort of homeless adults in Vancouver, Canada

Background Individuals with criminal histories have high rates of opioid dependence and mortality. Excess mortality is largely attributable to overdose deaths. Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is one of the best evidence-based opioid substitution treatments (OSTs), but there is uncertainty about whether methadone treatment reduces the risk of mortality among convicted offenders over extended follow-up periods. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between adherence to MMT and overdose fatality as well as other causes of mortality. Methods and findings We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving linked population-level administrative data among individuals in British Columbia (BC), Canada with a history of conviction and who filled a methadone prescription between January 1, 1998 and March 31, 2015. Participants were followed from the date of first-dispensed methadone prescription until censoring (date of death or March 31, 2015). Methadone was divided into medicated (methadone was dispensed) and nonmedicated (methadone was not dispensed) periods and analysed as a time-varying exposure. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were estimated using multivariable Cox regression to examine mortality during the study period. All-cause and cause-specific mortality rates were compared during medicated and nonmedicated methadone periods. Participants (n = 14,530) had a mean age of 34.5 years, were 71.4% male, and had a median follow-up of 6.9 years. A total of 1,275 participants died during the observation period. The overall all-cause mortality rate was 11.2 per 1,000 person-years (PYs). Participants were significantly less likely to die from both nonexternal (adjusted HR [AHR] 0.27 [95% CI 0.23–0.33]) and external (AHR 0.41 [95% CI 0.33–0.51]) causes during medicated periods, independent of sociodemographic, criminological, and health-related factors. Death due to infectious diseases was 5 times lower (AHR 0.20 [95% CI 0.13–0.30]), and accidental poisoning (overdose) deaths were nearly 3 times lower (AHR 0.39 [95% CI 0.30–0.50]) during medicated periods. A competing risk regression demonstrated a similar pattern of results. The use of a Canadian offender population may limit generalizability of results. Furthermore, our observation period represents community-based methadone prescribing and may omit prescriptions administered during hospital separations. Therefore, the magnitude of the protective effects of methadone from nonexternal causes of death should be interpreted with caution. Conclusions Adherence to methadone was associated with significantly lower rates of death in a population-level cohort of Canadian convicted offenders. Achieving higher rates of adherence may reduce overdose deaths and other causes of mortality among offenders and similarly marginalized populations. Our findings warrant examination in other study centres in response to the crisis of opiate-involved deaths.

Associations between methadone maintenance treatment and crime: a 17‐year longitudinal cohort study of Canadian provincial offenders

BACKGROUND Opioid overdose deaths have become a public health crisis in North America, and those who are homeless are particularly vulnerable. Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) may prevent overdose and death among homeless people with opioid dependence, but suboptimal medication adherence is a common limitation. Previous research found that Housing First (HF) increases antipsychotic medication adherence among formerly homeless people. However, no experimental trials have examined whether HF has a significant impact on MMT adherence. We examined the intervention effect of HF on MMT adherence in a randomized sample of homeless adults experiencing mental illness and opioid dependence in Vancouver, Canada. METHODS Comprehensive administrative and self-reported data from homeless adults living with serious mental illness recruited to the Vancouver At Home study were analyzed. Only methadone recipients were included (n = 97). The medication possession ratio (MPR) was utilized as the measure of adherence, and relevant data were obtained from provincial administrative pharmacy records. Study arms were HF and treatment as usual (TAU). Student t-tests were used to test for differences in MMT MPR between HF and TAU. RESULTS No significant differences were observed in MMT MPR between participants in HF and TAU (0.52 vs. 0.57, p = 0.559) in the post-randomization period. CONCLUSION HF was not associated with significantly different MMT MPR compared to TAU. Additional interventions are indicated as HF alone was insufficient to facilitate improved MMT adherence among formerly homeless adults experiencing concurrent opioid dependence and serious mental illness.