Study offers new evidence on role of health crises in driving housing instability and homelessness

Article excerpt

A Columbia University study tracking Medicaid enrollees over eight years, four before and four after hospitalization, found that major health crises significantly increase the risk of housing instability and homelessness. The research illuminates a two-way relationship between health and housing: serious illness doesn't just correlate with losing a home; it actively drives people onto the street. By following address changes rather than relying on self-reported homelessness, the study captures the full arc of housing loss, revealing how a single catastrophic health event can unravel someone's housing security.