Unsheltered Homelessness and Health: A Literature Review

Evaluating the impact of shelter status on health outcomes has important implications for the allocation of housing and health services. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine the relationship between the duration of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness and health outcomes and explore the mediating mechanisms that lead to poor health among unsheltered populations. Despite these limitations, our results also suggest an urgent need to address the unique and severe challenges facing unsheltered populations and the need for intervention approaches that are sensitive to these unique disease burdens.