James McGuire

r isk factors for Homelessness among Women Veterans

Background. Women veterans are three to four times more likely than non-veteran women to become homeless. However, their risk factors for homelessness have not been defined. Methods. Case-control study of non-institutionalized homeless women veterans (n533) and age-matched housed women veterans (n=165). Health, health care, and factors associated with homelessness were assessed using multiple logistic regression with a Monte Carlo algorithm to estimate exact standard errors of the model coefficients and p-values. Results. Characteristics associated with homelessness were sexual assault during military service, being unemployed, being disabled, having worse overall health, and screening positive for an anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. Protective factors were being a college graduate or married. Conclusions. Efforts to assess housed women veterans risk factors for homelessness should be integrated into clinical care programs within and outside the Veterans Administration. Programs that work to ameliorate risk factors may prevent these womens living situations from deteriorating over time.

Access to Primary Care for Homeless Veterans with Serious Mental Illness or Substance Abuse: A Follow-up Evaluation of Co-Located Primary Care and Homeless Social Services

To examine the hypothesis that a demonstration clinic integrating homeless, primary care, and mental health services for homeless veterans with serious mental illness or substance abuse would improve medical health care access and physical health status. A quasi-experimental design comparing a ‘usual VA care’ group before the demonstration clinic opened (Nxa0=xa0130) and the ‘integrated care’ group (Nxa0=xa0130). Regression models indicated that the integrated care group was more rapidly enrolled in primary care, received more prevention services and primary care visits, and fewer emergency department visits, and was not different in inpatient utilization or in physical health status over 18xa0months. The demonstration clinic improved access to primary care services and reduced emergency services but did not improve perceived physical health status over 18xa0months. Further research is needed to determine generalizability and longer term effects.

Risk of Incarceration and Other Characteristics of Iraq and Afghanistan Era Veterans in State and Federal Prisons

OBJECTIVEnThe Health Care for Reentry Veterans (HCRV) program provides Veterans Health Administration outreach services to veterans incarcerated in state and federal prisons. This study used HCRV data to compare risk of incarceration of veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF), Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and New Dawn (OND) and other veterans and to identify sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of incarcerated veterans of OEF/OIF/OND.nnnMETHODSnAdministrative national data were analyzed for 30,968 incarcerated veterans, including 1,201 OEF/OIF/OND veterans, contacted from October 2007 to April 2011. Odds ratios were calculated comparing the risk of incarceration among OEF/OIF/OND and other veterans in the HCRV sample and in a weighted sample of nonincarcerated veterans from the 2010 National Survey of Veterans. Stepwise logistic regressions of HCRV data examined characteristics of incarcerated veterans independently associated with OEF/OIF/OND service.nnnRESULTSnRegardless of ethnicity or age, OEF/OIF/OND veterans were less than half as likely as other veterans to be incarcerated and constituted only 3.9% of the incarcerated veterans. Compared with other incarcerated veterans, OEF/OIF/OND veterans were younger, were more likely to be married, were more likely to report combat exposure, expected a shorter incarceration, were 26% less likely to have a diagnosis of drug abuse or dependence, and were three times more likely to have combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).nnnCONCLUSIONSnOEF/OIF/OND veterans appeared to be at lower risk of incarceration than veterans of other service eras, but those who were incarcerated had higher rates of PTSD. Efforts to link these veterans to mental health services upon their release are warranted.

Closing a Front Door to Homelessness among Veterans

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been identified as a mainstream institution to help prevent homelessness among America’s veterans. The large numbers of incarcerated veterans with serious mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders who are at risk for homelessness support the need for expanded VA outreach to this population. Since 2002, the VA has contacted almost 6,500 veterans in prison or jail. Its leadership role in affording comprehensive health, mental health, social resources, corrections outreach, and current policy and planning strategies positions the VA to provide system wide service to veterans leaving correctional institutions. As this VA outreach program proceeds, examining the links among program assumptions, veteran needs and outcomes, and existing evaluation processes can help to maintain focus on homelessness prevention strategies.

Residential Environment and Quality of Life Among Seriously Mentally Ill Residents of Board and Care Homes

This study examined the relationship between residential environment of seriously mentally ill patients living in board and care homes and quality of life. Participants included 162 seriously mentally ill veteran patients living in 26 board and care homes in Los Angeles. Data from structured interviews were used to assess subjective quality of life (satisfaction with living situation and general well-being) and objective quality of life (social functioning and daily activities). Independent variables examined in multivariate analyses included individual socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, objective characteristics of the home, and subjective resident assessments of social climate within the home. Adjusting for individual characteristics, social climate was significantly and positively associated with both satisfaction with current living situation and with general well-being. Interpersonal conflict was negatively associated with general well-being. Number of beds within the home and median income in the neighborhood were significantly associated (positively and negatively, respectively) with social functioning outside the home. Living environment characteristics explained between 3 and 9% of the total variation in three of four quality of life measures, and 27% of the variation in the fourth, satisfaction with living situation. Satisfaction with living situation among seriously mentally ill residents of board and care homes may be enhanced by making the social climate more positive, and reducing conflict within the home. Social functioning outside of the home may be enhanced by placing patients into a home with more beds, and/or a home located in a lower income neighborhood.

Homelessness in a national sample of incarcerated veterans in state and federal prisons

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has been increasing efforts to reach out to assist incarcerated veterans. While previous studies have shown strong associations between incarceration and homelessness, few studies have examined distinctive characteristics of incarcerated homeless and non-homeless veterans. National administrative data on 30,348 incarcerated veterans served by the Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (HCRV) program were analyzed. Incarcerated veterans were classified into four groups based on their history of past homelessness: not homeless, transiently homeless, episodically homeless, and chronically homeless. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare groups on sociodemographic characteristics, criminal justice status, clinical status, and their interest in using VHA services. Of the sample, 70xa0% were classified as not homeless, 8xa0% as transiently homeless, 11xa0% as episodically homeless, and 11xa0% as chronically homeless. Thus, 30xa0% of the sample had a homeless history, which is five times the 6xa0% rate of past homelessness among adult men in the general population. Compared to non-homeless incarcerated veterans, all three homeless groups reported significantly more mental health problems, more substance abuse, more times arrested in their lifetime, more likely to be incarcerated for a non-violent offense, and were more interested in receiving VHA services after release from prison. Together, these findings suggest re-entry programs, like HCRV, can address relevant mental health-related service needs, especially among formerly homeless veterans and veterans in need of services are receptive to the offer of assistance.

Psychosocial problems in primary care: patient and provider perceptions.

Primary care physicians and clinics have become the frontline of health care for most Americans—they are the first point of contact and the source of both treatment and referrals. Psychosocial problems, such as difficulty with finances, family, housing, and work, are associated with a high demand for medical care in primary care practice, yet little is known about the prevalence of psychosocial problems in primary care settings. The purpose of this study is to assess the type and level of psychosocial problems in primary care patients by examining patient and provider perceptions at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS). A purposive sample of 684 veterans and a convenience sample of 59 providers anonymously completed the Social Needs Checklist. Patients reported an average of five psychosocial problems, with finances, personal stress, transportation, employment, and legal issues being the most prevalent. Thirty-two percent of patients indicated a desire to see a social worker. Provider and patient differences were compared. Provider estimates of patients problems were consistently lower than patient estimates in all psychosocial problem areas except need for nursing home placement and problem drinking or drug use. Implications for social work in primary care are discussed.

Comparison of Outcomes of Homeless Female and Male Veterans in Transitional Housing

Homelessness among female veterans is of national concern, but there have been few studies of how they differ from male veterans or whether they have different outcomes. This study compared 59 female and 1,181 male participants in a multi-site study of three VA-funded transitional housing programs over a 1-year period following completion of an episode of treatment. At baseline, female participants were younger, reported more psychiatric symptoms, had shorter histories of homelessness, were less likely to have substance use disorders, and were less likely to be working than males. After controlling for these baseline differences, there were no overall gender differences in outcomes measures of housing, employment, substance use, physical and mental health, or quality of life. These results suggest homeless female veterans have different characteristics than male veterans, but benefit equally from transitional housing.

Risk of incarceration and clinical characteristics of incarcerated veterans by race/ethnicity

PurposeUnprecedented growth in the US prison population has highlighted the overrepresentation of racial/ethnic minorities in prisons. This study examined the hypothesis that veteran status is protective against incarceration for veterans of different racial/ethnic minorities and compared the clinical characteristics of incarcerated veterans by race/ethnicity.MethodsUsing national data from a prisoner re-entry program and data from the 2010 National Survey of Veterans, this study examined the risk of incarceration among veterans who were racial/ethnic minorities and compared sociodemographic and clinical characteristics to White incarcerated veterans.ResultsOf a sample of 30,834 incarcerated veterans, 52xa0% were White, 39xa0% African American, 7xa0% Hispanic, and 2xa0% were categorized as “Other.” African American veterans were 5.6 times and Hispanic veterans 4.3 times more likely to be incarcerated than White veterans across age groups. However, the published odds of being incarcerated as an African American in the general population compared to Whites (6.7 times) is higher, suggesting that veteran status may be somewhat protective against incarceration for African Americans, particularly among certain age groups. Among incarcerated veterans, multivariate analyses found that African American veterans were significantly more likely to have a drug/abuse dependency diagnosis and be currently incarcerated for a drug offense than Whites. Hispanic veterans were significantly more likely to be chronically homeless and also more likely to be incarcerated for a drug offense.ConclusionsRacial/ethnic differences in incarceration persist among veterans, although are slightly attenuated. Efforts to connect incarcerated veterans with mental health services post-release should be supported, especially in connecting veterans to substance abuse treatment.

Patient and Program Predictors of 12-Month Outcomes for Homeless Veterans Following Discharge from Time-Limited Residential Treatment

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides transitional residential treatment to homeless veterans through three types of programs: VA-staffed Domiciliary care, and two types of community-based treatment (one funded through locally managed contracts and the other through national grants). This study compared treatment process and outcomes in these three programs and also sought to identify differences in outcome between dually diagnosed veterans, veterans with substance abuse problems or psychiatric problems alone, and those with no psychiatric diagnoses. Altogether, 1,338 veterans admitted to the 3 types of program were recruited to participate in a prospective naturalistic study which evaluated housing, clinical and community adjustment outcomes during the year following discharge. Data on 1,003 veterans for whom psychiatric diagnostic, social climate and length of stay data were available were used to compare participants in the three program types at baseline. Regression models were used to compare outcomes across program and diagnostic types net of baseline differences between study participants, and of differences in social climate and length of stay. The overall follow-up rate across all time points was 72%. Significant differences across programs were observed on only 2 baseline measures as well as on several baseline values of the outcome measures, length of stay and a measure of social climate. Adjusting for veteran baseline differences alone there were no differences in outcomes by program after correction for multiple comparisons. Dually diagnosed veterans had poorer mental health and overall quality of life outcomes. Longer length of stay and more positive social climate were associated with superior outcomes on several measures. The adjusted mean estimate of the proportion of veterans housed at 12xa0months follow-up was 78%, similar to published outcomes for supported housing. Length of stay, rather than program funding configuration or diagnostic group, was the strongest predictor of outcomes in time-limited residential treatment programs in which 1-year housing was similar to those in direct-placement supported housing programs.