Predictors of homeless veterans' irregular discharge status from a domiciliary care program

• Published in: Journal of mental health administration Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 245 - 260
• Main Authors: Wenzel, S L, Bakhtiar, L, Caskey, N H, Hardie, E, Redford, C, Sadler, N, Gelberg, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 01-06-1995
• Subjects: Alcohol; Alcohol Drinking - therapy; American people; Clinical outcomes; Cooperation; Discharge; Drug abuse; Education; Employment; Ethnic Groups; Home care; Home Care Services - utilization; Homeless people; Homeless Persons - statistics & numerical data; Homelessness; Hospitals, Veterans; Humans; Investigations; Los Angeles; Male; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental health care; Military service; Minority & ethnic groups; Patient Discharge; Predictors; Regression Analysis; Retention; Social Class; Social classes; Substance-Related Disorders - therapy; Veterans; Veterans - statistics & numerical data; Los Angeles
• ISSN: 0092-8623; 1094-3412; 1556-3308
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02521120

This study addresses the relationship of homeless veterans' discharge status from a domiciliary care program to biopsychosocial characteristics presented at admission into the program. Hypotheses were that younger age, less education, and substance abuse or psychiatric disorder would predict an irregular discharge. Research participants were 367 homeless male veterans who had been admitted to a domiciliary care program at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center for treatment of medical, psychiatric, or substance disorders. Status of veterans' program discharge (regular or irregular) served as the outcome measure. Logistic regression analysis revealed that irregular discharge from the program was more likely among veterans who were black, who had poor employment histories, or who had problems with alcohol. Results are discussed in light of the need to maintain homeless veterans in treatment programs so that they can achieve maximum benefit from available programs.