Marked disparities exist in regard to primary reasons for ED admissions among people who are homeless versus the general population, according to findings published in the International Journal of Emergency Medicine. Vibhu Paudyal, PhD, MSc, and colleagues examined ED admissions over a 10-year period for homeless patients compared with the general population. Of 30,406 ED visits for people experiencing homelessness in 2018- 2019—a 44.9% increase compared with 2009- 2010—injuries and poisoning accounted for 21.8% and 17.9% of all people who were homeless, respectively, presenting to the ED. Poisonings, including drug overdoses, represented only 1.9% of all visits by the general population during the same study year. High mortality rates were reported in relation to presentations for drug- and alcohol related causes.
