New York City: leading causes of homeless deaths 2021-2022

From July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, New York City's Department of Social Services/Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) reported 684 deaths among individuals experiencing homelessness. Among these, around 329 were attributed to drug-related causes, making this the primary cause of death within this demographic. This statistic depicts the leading causes of death among persons experiencing homelessness in New York City between 2021 and 2022.

Leading causes of death among persons experiencing homelessness in New York City between 2021 and 2022

Characteristic	Number of deaths
Drug related	329
Heart disease	63
Accidents (excluding drug overdose)	59
Mental disorders due to alcohol use (alcohol misuse/dependence)	22
Cancer	19
Homicide	15
COVID-19	13
Chronic liver disease	11
Suicide	10
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	8
Stroke	7
Diabetes	6
Influenza/pneumonia	4
Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome and Nephrisis	4
HIV	3
Septicemia	3
Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids	3
Certain conditions originated in the pernatal period	2
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Puerperium	2
Aortic aneurysms	1
Viral Hepatitis	1
Anemias	1
Peptic Ulcer	1
Tuberculosis	1
Pending final determination*	12
All other causes	84

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Release date

February 2023

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Region

North America, United States (New York)

Survey time period

From July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022

Supplementary notes

* All other causes that are not categorized as leading causes encompass instances where the OCME is still investigating the cause or manner of death (n=).

The figures were given by the following reporting agencies:

"The Department of Social Services/Department of Homeless Services (DHS) endeavors to prevent homelessness, offer temporary emergency shelter, and assist individuals and families in transitioning to permanent and supportive housing.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is tasked with investigating deaths in New York City that are potentially suspicious, unusual, violent, or criminal, including cases where the deceased's homelessness status is uncertain, and it utilizes evidence from the scene of death."

For a more comprehensive understanding of the criteria determining shelter residency status, check the provided sources.

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