By the Numbers: 5 August 2024

By the Numbers: 5 August 2024

2/3
The proportion of unhoused people who have mental health disorders, according to a study published earlier this year in the journal JAMA Psychiatry -- Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders Among Individuals Experiencing Homelessness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The current prevalence of mental health disorders among people experiencing homelessness was 67% (95% CI, 55-77), and the lifetime prevalence was 77% (95% CI, 61-88). Male individuals exhibited a significantly higher lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders (86%; 95% CI, 74-92) compared to female individuals (69%; 95% CI, 48-84). The prevalence of several specific disorders were estimated, including any substance use disorder (44%), antisocial personality disorder (26%), major depression (19%), schizophrenia (7%), and bipolar disorder (8%).