Veterans experiencing homelessness who secure housing more likely to get cancer health screenings

(Press-News.org) Editorial

Background: This editorial reviews Decker et al’s study of more than 100,000 veterans experiencing homelessness who were overdue for colorectal or breast cancer screening. About 57,000 secured housing during a 24-month window and were more than twice as likely to get screened after doing so. 

Editorial Stance: The author calls the findings from Decker et al a “rare, measurable improvement” in care for people who have experienced homelessness. Although causality cannot be claimed from this observational work, the author praises the study as a needed answer to past evidence gaps flagged by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Vickery urges more research into what types of housing drives improvements in screening and warns that proposed federal cuts to health, housing, and research funding would undercut progress.

Why It Matters: The findings from Decker et al strengthen arguments for sustained investment in supportive housing and person-centered care models within and beyond the Veteran’s Administration. 

Improving Health for People Experiencing Homelessness Within and Beyond the VA:  From Cancer Screening to Integrated Preventive Health

Katherine Diaz Vickery, MD, MSc

The Health, Homelessness, & Criminal Justice Lab, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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