Tracking and Defining Mortality Associated with Homelessness in Harris County, 2009-2021: A Collaboration Between Public Health and Community Programs

In January of 2020, there were 580,466 people experiencing homelessness in the United States. Due to a web of risk factors, individuals who experience homelessness have dramatically higher mortality rates. Though homelessness remains a persistent issue in the U.S., few studies have been conducted to examine the causes of death in the homeless population beyond isolated urban communities, making it difficult to generalize findings. This failure leads to a lack of prevention programs targeted on the unique health conditions, social and environmental exposures experienced by those experiencing homelessness in Harris County.