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Continued Homelessness and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults
Sarah K Dobbins1, Cheyenne M Garcia2,3, Jennifer L Evans2,3
1School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco.
JAMA Network Open
|August 15, 2024
Summary
Continued homelessness in older adults is linked to more depressive symptoms. Securing housing may improve mental health and overall well-being for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Depression is a prevalent issue among adults experiencing homelessness.
- The relationship between sustained homelessness and worsening depressive symptoms in older adults requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between residential status and depressive symptoms in adults aged 50 and older experiencing homelessness.
- To determine if continued homelessness exacerbates depressive symptoms in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study of adults aged 50+ experiencing homelessness in Oakland, California (HOPE HOME project) from 2013-2023.
- Residential status (homeless vs. housed) and depressive symptoms (CES-D scale score ≥22) were assessed over a mean of 5.5 years.
- Augmented inverse probability of treatment weighting (AIPTW) was used to analyze the association, adjusting for multiple covariates.
Main Results:
- The study included 450 participants (76.2% male, mean age 58.5 years).
- Continued homelessness was significantly associated with higher odds of moderate to severe depressive symptoms (marginal causal odds ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04-1.11).
- A majority of participants (78.0%) experienced periods of being housed during the study.
Conclusions:
- Continued homelessness is independently associated with increased depressive symptoms in older adults.
- Housing acquisition may play a crucial role in improving depression and well-being for homeless older adults.
- Housing interventions could be considered as a strategy for mental health support in this population.
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