Use of a collaborative data bank to measure HRQoL and service utilization in men experiencing homelessness

The high comorbidity of chronic health, mental health, and substance use disorders among people experiencing homelessness is associated with large reductions in health related quality of life (HRQoL) and significant utilization of medical and other public services. Collaborative efforts between academic research institutions and the community organizations that serve these homeless populations allows for a better understanding of the underlying processes that lead to this public health dilemma. With this in mind, a data bank was created to simultaneously assess the health status of Milwaukee's homeless population while also delivering useful data to a local service provider for funding and quality improvement purposes. The community-based counseling clinic has reported great improvements in the ease of collecting and reporting data to state and local governments, as well as a substantial increase in the breadth of information that can easily be obtained and organized. Preliminary data analysis focusing on the effects that chronic disease and homelessness duration (chronic vs. non-chronic) have on HRQoL and public service utilization is currently underway and will be completed by early Spring 2016.