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Eviction as a Disruptive Factor in Health Care Utilization: Impact on Hospital Readmissions and No-show Rates
- Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 32, Number 1, February 2021
- pp. 386-396
- 10.1353/hpu.2021.0030
- Article
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Abstract:
Background. Residential eviction is a component of housing instability that negatively affects physical and mental health, but the effect of eviction on health care utilization, specifically hospital readmissions and outpatient no-show rates, is not known. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of health care utilization of individuals evicted from public housing between January 2013 and December 2017, investigating hospital readmissions and no-show rates one year before and after eviction. Results. 131 individuals who had been evicted had one year of data pre-and post-eviction. The majority were African American (97.7%) and female (80.9%). There was no significant change in 30-, 60-, and 90-day hospital readmissions (p>.05). No-show rate decreased from 27.57 per person per year to 20.13 (p=.05). Conclusions. For our study population, health care utilization was not disrupted. The decreased no-show rate represents an opportunity for health systems to engage with patients on social factors affecting their health post-eviction.