# Place-Based Influences on Mortality among People Experiencing Homelessness

> **NIH NIH DP5** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2024 · $382,937

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Research Challenge: More than 582,000 people in the US experience homelessness each night, and a
staggering 1.25 million people enter the shelter system each year. People experiencing homelessness endure
extreme adversity, drastically increasing their risk of dying young. Although the response to the homelessness
crisis primarily occurs at the local level, local data on homeless mortality is largely unavailable. The limited
existing data show substantial variation in homeless mortality rates by place, suggesting that place-based
factors may impact mortality risk. However, methodological differences in how existing data are collected and
compiled make valid cross-location comparisons difficult. As a result, at present there is no way to rigorously
test how local place-based factors—such as policies, service availability, and economic conditions—relate to
homeless mortality, which impedes the ability to identify promising local policy solutions or interventions.
Objective & Specific Aims: The overall objective of the proposed research is to identify policy-sensitive
drivers of homeless mortality. This objective will be achieved through the following specific aims: (1) calculate
homeless mortality rates for each US state and Continuum of Care (local planning bodies that coordinate
homeless services for a specific city, county, or small group of counties), (2) document frontline providers’
perceived place-based risk and protective factors of homeless mortality, and (3) investigate the association of
place-based factors with homeless mortality.
Approach: The proposed study will use a sequential mixed methods design to provide insight about homeless
mortality and its place-based predictors. In Aim 1, restricted-access US Census Bureau data on people
experiencing homelessness will be linked to Social Security Administration mortality records to estimate area-
level homeless mortality rates. In Aim 2, 48 key informant interviews will be conducted with frontline providers
of homeless and health care services to identify perceived place-based predictors of homeless mortality. In
Aim 3, using homeless mortality estimates from Aim 1 and potential predictors identified in Aim 2, multi-level
modeling will be used to test the association between place-based factors and homeless mortality.
Impact: This project will yield the first comparable state-level and Continuum of Care-level estimates of
homeless mortality as well as identify place-based correlates of mortality. This proposal, which crosscuts the
missions of NIA, NICHD, and NIMHD, would have positive impact by identifying potential policy avenues that
could bring to bear improved health and reduced mortality among people experiencing homelessness.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10920647
- **Project number:** 1DP5OD037332-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Kaitlyn M Berry
- **Activity code:** DP5 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $382,937
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-19 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10920647

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10920647, Place-Based Influences on Mortality among People Experiencing Homelessness (1DP5OD037332-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10920647. Licensed CC0.

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