Utah's homeless dying 10x the rate of the rest of the population

People experiencing homelessness in the state are dying at 10 times the rate of the rest of the population and younger, according a groundbreaking new study by the Utah Department of Health & Human Services.

The study, published Thursday, began by adding a question on death data collected by the agency's Office of Vital Statistics: is the person who died homeless?

"People experiencing homelessness are dying at higher rates and younger ages than the general population and many of these deaths are preventable," said Tyler Riedesel, an epidemiologist who conducted the research for the agency.

Of the 21,816 deaths in Utah last year, 216 were unsheltered people.

"The mean age of death for people experiencing homelessness during 2023 is 56 years of age," Riedesel said. "Compare that to the general population or housed age is 72."

The report found chronic diseases (like heart disease or diabetes) and substance abuse were the top causes of death.

State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen said she was not surprised by the data her agency found.

"It’s unfortunate, I don’t think it’s unexpected," she told FOX 13 News. "I think there’s information in there can help us address problems."

The data was presented Thursday on Utah's Capitol Hill at a meeting of the state's homeless services board. It included recommendations — starting with more housing.

"These are preventable deaths," Riedesel said. "We have a variety of recommendations in our report. Some of those include expanding on housing options. That’s not a novel idea. Respite care... make more accessible primary health care and substance abuse treatment for people experiencing homelessness."

The data is expected to be used in future legislative sessions as advocates push for more funding and policy shifts.

Read the report here:

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