CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A local study published recently shows the City of Chicago's efforts to reduce COVID-19 transmission among persons experiencing homeless has had a dramatic positive impact.
Unsheltered individuals who were at a high risk of severe COVID-19 were two and a half times less likely to contract the virus if they were provided with private hotel rooms and medical and social support.
That's compared to city-wide rates and homeless shelters according to data from a study released this week. The research from University of Chicago medicine Lawndale Christian Health Center and the Chicago Department of Public Health also showed improvements in certain health measures such as blood pressure and more than half of those that have been experiencing homelessness moved on to longer term housing after the intervention.
"All of this has public health implications," explained Elizabeth Tung, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at UChicago Medicine, who helped analyze the study data.
"When you think about how much time and money is spent every time someone ends up in the ER because they’re experiencing homelessness and can’t take care of their medical needs — it’s more expensive, it’s worse for the patient, and you end up with terrible outcomes. These data show us that a medical housing approach could help.”
Tung wrote in the report that the hope now is to conduct additional research to determine the costs and benefits of such an approach outside of a pandemic context, continuing to help the most vulnerable people get back on their feet.
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