New mHealth Study Takes on Health Outcomes Among the Homeless

A new study being launched out of the University of Texas aims to see whether mHealth can improve healthcare access and outcomes for homeless people.

Funded by a grant from the Health and Human Services Department’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the five-year program will put smartphones in the hands of 60 people in and around Austin who are homeless and have multiple chronic conditions and medications. The goal is to see whether an mHealth platform can be used to improve care management for this population through targeted text messages, medication management, healthcare appointment scheduling and access to social services.

The program is being led by Leticia Moczygemba, an associate professor at UT-Austin’s Division of Health Outcomes, and will be coordinated with community health partners and the Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center.

“This is true community-engaged work,” Moczygemba said in a press release.

The project aims to see whether access to connected health services can boost outcomes in a homeless population, and in turn reduce 911 traffic and ER visits. Going even further, it will also examine whether access to resources can address social determinants of health and improve lifestyle.