Description of the cohort*
| All | Chronically homeless alcohol dependent (n=50) | General homeless (n=61) | Low-income housed (n=59) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||||
| Mean age (SD), years | 43.7 (12.1) | 50 (11) | 36 (9.5) | 46 (12) | <0.001 |
| Age, years | <0.001 | ||||
| ≤39 | 72 (42) | 10 (20) | 41 (67) | 21 (36) | |
| 40–49 | 43 (25) | 16 (32) | 12 (20) | 15 (25) | |
| ≥50 | 55 (32) | 24 (48) | 8 (13) | 23 (39) | |
| Place of birth | <0.001 | ||||
| Canada | 128 (75) | 48 (96) | 41 (67) | 39 (66) | |
| Outside of Canada | 42 (25) | 2 (4) | 20 (33) | 20 (34) | |
| Education | 0.25 | ||||
| Some high school or less | 50 (29) | 13 (26) | 19 (31) | 18 (31) | |
| High school or equivalent | 14 (8) | 6 (12) | 3 (5) | 5 (8) | |
| Vocational training/college or above | 106 (63) | 31 (62) | 39 (64) | 36 (61) | |
| Marital status | <0.0001 | ||||
| Single/never married | 104 (62) | 20 (41) | 44 (72) | 40 (68) | |
| Divorced/separated | 48 (28) | 20 (41) | 16 (26) | 12 (20) | |
| Married/partnered | 9 (5) | 3 (6) | 1 (2) | 5 (8) | |
| Widowed | 8 (5) | 6 (12) | 0 (0) | 2 (3) | |
| Mean (SD) total years homeless in lifetime | 6.5 (8.4) | 14 (10) | 5.0 (6.4) | 2.5 (3.8) | <0.001 |
| Self-reported lifetime history of seizure | 44 (26) | 31 (62) | 7 (11.5) | 6 (10.2) | <0.0001 |
| Mental health problem | 40 (24) | 10 (20) | 15 (25) | 15 (25) | 0.78 |
| Alcohol dependence | 79 (46) | 43 (86) | 19 (31) | 17 (29) | <0.0001 |
| Drug dependence | 32 (18) | 13 (26) | 13 (21) | 6 (10) | 0.09 |
| ED visit with HI in previous year | 39 (23) | 23 (46) | 9 (15) | 7 (12) | <0.0001 |
| Minimal or unspecified HI | 31 (18) | 18 (36) | 7 (11) | 6 (10) | 0.0005 |
| Non-minimal HI | 19 (11) | 14 (28) | 2 (3) | 3 (5) | 0.0003 |
| Minor HI | 16 (9) | 14 (28) | 1 (2) | 2 (3) | <0.0001 |
| Moderate HI | 6 (4) | 4 (8) | 1 (2) | 1 (2) | 0.0004 |
| Severe HI† | 1 (0.6) | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0.002 |
| Number of HI in the past year | 0.50 (1.2) | 1.2 (1.7) | 0.19 (0.66) | 0.21 (0.77) | <0.0001 |
| Mean (SD) minimal or unspecified HI‡ | 0.34 (0.82) | 0.75 (0.95) | 0.17 (0.65) | 0.17 (0.74) | <0.0001 |
| Mean (SD) non-minimal HI‡ | 0.16 (0.52) | 0.47 (0.87) | 0.017 (0.11) | 0.037 (0.14) | <0.0001 |
| Mean (SD) minor HI‡ | 0.12 (0.42) | 0.36 (0.70) | 0.003 (0.02) | 0.033 (0.14) | <0.0001 |
| Mean (SD) moderate HI‡ | 0.030 (0.13) | 0.082 (0.21) | 0.014 (0.11) | 0.003 (0.02) | 0.0003 |
| Mean (SD) severe HI‡ | 0.002 (0.01) | 0.03 (0.1) | 0 | 0 | 0.006 |
*All data are presented as a number and per cent, unless otherwise specified.
†There were no severe HIs in previous year, figures given are an average for the entire study period.
‡The mean rates are the mean of the rates calculated separately for each individual.
HI, head injury.