5 takeaways from Utah's first homeless mortality report

Utahns experiencing homelessness in 2023 saw a death rate that's 10 times higher than the general population, according to state data .

The big picture: Homelessness is rising in Utah. In 2022, the state saw a 10% uptick in first-time homelessness, per an annual report released last year.

• For years, providers and advocates have called on state and local leaders to provide data surrounding their deaths.

Here are five takeaways from the mortality report, the first-ever of its kind by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services :

• Accidents, suicides and homicides caused half of all deaths among homeless people in 2023. The rate for the general population was 10%.
• Chronic diseases — heart and pulmonary disease and diabetes — accounted for about 33% of deaths, compared to 59% among the general population.
• About 35% were related to substance abuse.
• Tooele, Utah, Salt Lake, and Weber counties saw the highest mortality rates among homeless people.
• The average age of death among homeless people was 56 — 16 years younger than the general population.

Methodology: The report pulled data from the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics.

The bottom line: The study's authors noted these deaths are preventable through a combination of providing more low-barrier housing, health care and substance abuse treatment options.

• "We also recommend an advisory group be formed to evaluate and fund best practices in delivering healthcare to people experiencing homelessness in urban, suburban and rural communities," one of the report's authors and state epidemiologist Leisha Nolen said in a statement.

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