Dr. Elena Klaw
Psych 190: Warriors at Home
 Risk
factors for homelessness in vets
 Rates of homelessness
 Addressing risk factors
 Why
might veterans be at particular risk
for homelessness?
 Unemployment
upon return
 Higher rates of divorce, family conflict
 Trauma related mental illness
 Substance abuse
 Intimate violence
 Need to complete education
 Need to translate military experience
and skills (MOS) to civilian resume
 Low social support
 Veterans
are overrepresented as homeless in
the US.
 Vets are at greater risk than nonveterans of
becoming homeless.
 Among the 136,000 homeless veterans in 2009,
53% had a chronic health condition.
 Chronic health conditions can be causes or
consequences of homelessness.
 Public health: Need to understand risk factors
for homelessness and the health needs of
homeless vets to design effective prevention
and intervention.
Men aged 45-to 54-year-old appeared to be at the
highest risk of homelessness whereas for women,
homeless risk declined with age.
 Women are most likely to be homeless when they are
heading families with young children.
 Seems recent tour women vets are more likely to be
homeless than older women vets and are in need of
reintegration efforts.
 Being African American increases homelessness
risk.
 Being a vet increases homelessness risk above and
beyond effects of poverty.
 Poverty alleviation efforts for vets in poverty such as
utilities and housing payments are essential.
 Other ideas?
