Risk Factors for Homelessness Among Post-9/11 Era Veterans

Abstract

This study examined the associations between a broad range of individual characteristics and homelessness among 49,323 post-9/11 era Veterans. Questions concerning the roles of premilitary, military and post military factors in Veteran’s vulnerability to homelessness have persisted despite the considerable attention given to Veteran homelessness, and has highlighted the absence of longitudinal studies that could contribute to the empirical understanding of risk and protective factors among this population. The Veterans in this study group completed Millennium Cohort Study surveys during their military service and subsequently, when they transitioned back to civilian life. Among these Veterans, 1,071 (2.2%) reported becoming homeless after separating from the military. Results from multivariate models provide limited empirical support for direct links between aspects of military service and homelessness that are widely used to explain why Veterans become homeless. Instead, many risk factors for homelessness found here mirror risk factors among the general population. We also find a persistent association between sexual orientation and risk for homelessness, and decreased risk for homelessness among female Veterans. These findings challenge popular conceptions of why Veterans become homeless and contribute to understanding the dynamics of becoming homeless among this current Veteran cohort.