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Putting aside the housing/humanitarian issue, which I am sympathetic too, I find it disingenuous to try to connect some of these deaths to the lack of housing.

Putting aside the housing/humanitarian issue, which I am sympathetic too, I find it disingenuous to try to connect some of these deaths to the lack of housing. One person died of brain cancer. Another had jaw cancer. Others had chronic kidney issues and were on dialysis, which even in the best of cases, is associated with severe mortality risks and much shortened lifespans. I am sympathetic to the fact that people in such conditions should not be left to die out in the cold, but I don't think being homeless killed them, severe illness did. If they remained in this housing, I would bet they would still have died. I know very privileged people that unfortunately also died way too young and unfairly from cancer or other diseases.

et-al 5y ago
That's as obtuse as saying getting pushed out of a plane didn't kill a person; the impact did. > Studies show that people who die while homeless in the U.S. are, on average, about 30 years younger than people who die in the broader population. If the people were living stable housing, they could focus on getting the treatment they needed instead of worrying about where they could sleep the next night, or whether their belongings would be stolen.
- berberous 5y ago
  Broadly speaking, I agree with you that lack of housing can lead to increased mortality, whether from greater exposure to violence from other transients, heat or cold stress, greater drug use caused by stress, making it harder to get attention to medical issues, or other factors. I also think some of the population is homeless because of medical issues, such as severe mental illness, and those are a risk factor that lead to early death and contribute to the statistic you cited. At the same time, I continue to think it is unsurprising that a group of 5 specific people with existing cancer (brain cancer no less!) and severe kidney issues died, and suspect they would have died regardless. The 5-year survival rate for people with a cancerous brain or CNS tumor is apparently 36%; in an elderly person on medicaid (if anything), whether housed or not, I suspect it is less. In other words, I don't think we disagree, but think that this is a bad group of 5 individuals to use to advocate the issue...

et-al 5y ago

That's as obtuse as saying getting pushed out of a plane didn't kill a person; the impact did. > Studies show that people who die while homeless in the U.S. are, on average, about 30 years younger than people who die in the broader population. If the people were living stable housing, they could focus on getting the treatment they needed instead of worrying about where they could sleep the next night, or whether their belongings would be stolen.

berberous 5y ago
Broadly speaking, I agree with you that lack of housing can lead to increased mortality, whether from greater exposure to violence from other transients, heat or cold stress, greater drug use caused by stress, making it harder to get attention to medical issues, or other factors. I also think some of the population is homeless because of medical issues, such as severe mental illness, and those are a risk factor that lead to early death and contribute to the statistic you cited. At the same time, I continue to think it is unsurprising that a group of 5 specific people with existing cancer (brain cancer no less!) and severe kidney issues died, and suspect they would have died regardless. The 5-year survival rate for people with a cancerous brain or CNS tumor is apparently 36%; in an elderly person on medicaid (if anything), whether housed or not, I suspect it is less. In other words, I don't think we disagree, but think that this is a bad group of 5 individuals to use to advocate the issue...