Am J Public Health. 2013 Oct 22. [Epub ahead of print]
Homelessness and Money Mismanagement in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans.
Source
Eric B. Elbogen, Connor P. Sullivan, and James Wolfe are with the Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Eric B. Elbogen, Henry Ryan Wagner, and Jean C. Beckham are with the Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC. Henry Ryan Wagner and Jean C. Beckham are also with the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham.
Abstract
Objectives. We examined the empirical link between money mismanagement and subsequent homelessness among veterans. Methods. We used a random sample of Iraq and Afghanistan War era veterans from the National Post-Deployment Adjustment Survey in 2009-2011. Results. Veterans were randomly selected from a roster of all U.S. military service members in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom who were separated from active duty or in the Reserves/National Guard. Veterans (n = 1090) from 50 states and all military branches completed 2 waves of data collection 1 year apart (79% retention rate). Thirty percent reported money mismanagement (e.g., bouncing or forging a check, going over one's credit limit, falling victim to a money scam in the past year). Multivariate analysis revealed money mismanagement (odds ratio [OR] = 4.09, 95% CI = 1.87, 8.94) was associated with homelessness in the next year, as were arrest history (OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.33, 5.29), mental health diagnosis (OR = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.26, 5.33), and income (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.71). Conclusions. Money mismanagement, reported by a substantial number of veterans, was related to a higher rate of subsequent homelessness. The findings have implications for policymakers and clinicians, suggesting that financial education programs offered by the US Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs may be targeted to effectively address veteran homelessness.
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