Brain Injury And Homeless Men

New Study: nearly half of homeless men have sustained a past traumatic brain injury.

In San Francisco we have a reputation for many things – beauty, our bridges, our parks, the tech industry, our liberal politics and tolerant views. Unfortunately we also have a reputation for a large homeless population.

We’ve all seen it. We don’t like it. And to San Francisco’s credit, we have tried hard to combat it with compassion and empathy. And thanks to data collected in a new study we may have a new avenue in which to pursue treatment for the homeless.

Researchers have found that 45% of the homeless men they surveyed had sustained a traumatic brain injury or injuries in the past year. The study was recently published in the journal CMAJ Open.

So, why is this important? Because a traumatic brain injury impacts not only cognition and one’s intellect but emotions, sleep, balance, vision, hearing, and psychological well being. And, it can create a vicious cycle in which problems in these areas are aggravated endlessly.

The homeless person that you see exhibiting unruly or aggressive behavior may actually be suffering from the effects of a brain injury. And while homelessness have many causes and is incredibly difficult to address, there are treatments and therapies for brain injuries.

The study was conducted by researchers in trauma and neurosurgery at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. And we do not know if the findings can be applied to other populations like ours here in San Francisco. But we should find out.

If you would like to read more about this study click here for an article on it by Time.

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