Using a "Big Events" framework to understand emergency department use among women experiencing homelessness or housing instability in San Francisco during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Int J Drug Policy
; 97: 103405, 2021 11.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1336373
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic created a major public health crisis that disrupted economic systems, social networks and individual behaviors, which led to changes in patterns of health care use. Factors associated with emergency department (ED) visits during the pandemic among especially high-risk individuals are unknown. We used a "Big Events" approach, which considers major disruptions that create social instability, to investigate ED use in people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, many of whom use drugs.METHODS:
Between July and December 2020, we conducted a community-based San Francisco study to compare homeless and unstably housed (HUH) women who did and did not use an ED during the first 10 months of the pandemic.RESULTS:
Among 128 study participants, 34% had ≥1 ED visit during the pandemic. In adjusted analysis, factors significantly associated with ED use included experiencing homelessness, cocaine use and increased difficulties receiving drug use treatment during the pandemic.CONCLUSION:
These findings build on the "Big Events" approach to considering risk pathways among people who use drugs. They suggest the importance of ensuring access to housing and low-barrier non-COVID health services, including drug treatment, alongside crisis management activities, to reduce the health impacts of public health crises.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Ill-Housed Persons
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Drug Policy
Journal subject:
Public Health
/
Substance-Related Disorders
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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