Table 2.
Demographics, Comorbidities, and Sources for Usual Care of Veterans Needing and Not Needing Veterans Benefits
| Perceived Need (%)N = 75 | No Perceived Need (%)N = 52 | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age, y (± SD) | 43.1 (7.7) | 43.8 (8.9) | .65 |
| Race | |||
| African-American | 88.4 (61) | 88.2 (45) | .98 |
| Education | |||
| ≥12th grade or equivalent | 84.0 (63) | 90.4 (47) | .43 |
| Marital status | |||
| Single/divorced/widow | 97.3 (73) | 98.1 (51) | .99 |
| Duration homelessness | |||
| <12 months | 64.0 (48) | 55.8 (29) | .36 |
| Health insurance | 68.0 (51) | 66.7 (35) | .88 |
| Employment status | |||
| Unemployed | 64.0 (48) | 61.5 (32) | .85 |
| Monthly income < $250 | 34.7 (26) | 40.4 (21) | .58 |
| Arrested (last 12 months) | 9.3 (7) | 11.5 (6) | .77 |
| Vietnam veteran | 51.4 (38) | 38.5 (20) | .20 |
| Chronic medical condition | 58.7 (44) | 76.9 (40) | .04 |
| Two or more chronic medical conditions | 30.7 (23) | 44.2 (23) | .14 |
| Any psychiatric condition | 66.7 (50) | 53.8 (28) | .19 |
| Two or more psychiatric conditions | 36.0 (27) | 28.8 (15) | .45 |
| Any alcohol or drug abuse/dependence | 82.7 (62) | 75.0 (39) | .37 |
| Source for usual care | |||
| Emergency department | 9.4 (6) | 8.5 (4) | 1.0 |
| Community clinic | 25.0 (16) | 48.9 (23) | .02 |
| Hospital clinic | 7.8 (5) | 6.4 (3) | 1.0 |
| Shelter-based clinic/street outreach | 56.3 (36) | 36.2 (17) | .04 |