High-Risk for Mortality Criteria and Rough Sleepers: 10-year study of high-risk unsheltered adults from Boston

We described criteria developed at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program to predict mortality in an unsheltered cohort. The cohort was divided into two groups by applying the criteria; 119 high-risk and 326 non-high-risk. Mortality rates were higher for the high-risk group. In both groups, cause-specific mortality rates were highest for noncommunicable diseases and diseases related to substance use. The high-risk for mortality criteria predicted an increased mortality for the high-risk group. Creative efforts are needed to bring health, housing, and supportive services to work together to both the high-risk and non-high-risk groups of the unsheltered homeless population.