Invited Commentary: Data Sources for Estimating Numbers of People Experiencing Homelessness in the United States—Strengths and Limitations
Jill S. Roncarati, Thomas Byrne, D. Keith McInnes
Abstract
In the accompanying article, Mosites et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2021;190(11):2432-2436) evaluate data sources that enumerate people experiencing homelessness in the United States with respect to their strengths and limitations for conducting epidemiologic research in homeless populations. We largely agree with their key arguments, yet offer additional points that provide important context about these data for researchers and other stakeholders. Overall, we believe that it is possible to address many of the noted shortcomings of these data, and once addressed, the data could be more effectively leveraged to improve the health, housing stability, and quality of life of people experiencing homelessness.