Cardiovascular disease burden in the homeless population

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cardiology
• Social Medicine

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden is increasing among homeless individuals.
• Factors contributing to this include limited healthcare access, mental health disorders, and substance use.
• There is a notable deficit in cardiac-specific interventions for this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically analyze the prevalence and risk factors of CVD in homeless adults.
• To characterize the overall CVD burden within this demographic.
• To propose new CVD-specific interventions based on existing models.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from PubMed and Scopus.
• Inclusion of observational studies assessing homeless populations.
• Analysis of primary outcomes: mortality, morbidity, and hospitalization due to CVD.

Main Results:

• 22 studies were identified, with 12 included in the meta-analysis, analyzing data from over 226,000 adults.
• Homeless adults showed significantly higher CVD morbidity and mortality (pooled OR 2.77; 95% CI 1.93-3.93).
• Subgroup analyses by age, sex, and region did not reveal significant differences in CVD risk.

Conclusions:

• Homeless adults have approximately three times greater odds of CVD compared to the general population.
• The elevated risk of CVD is consistent across demographic subgroups.
• Findings highlight the critical need for targeted CVD interventions and policy development for the homeless population.