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Health risks of homelessness discussed in King County after rise in deaths

Health risks associated with homelessness are leaving more people dead on King County streets. The county health board heard from experts Thursday.

Health risks associated with homelessness are leaving more people dead on King County streets. On Thursday, the King County Board of Health heard from homelessness experts about those risks and the importance of housing.

According to King County Public Health's numbers, 169 homeless people died in the county last year. That's up by 32 deaths compared to 2016.

Data from 2017 found 72 percent died in public places. Natural causes, like illness, account for 37 percent of the deaths.

Daniel Malone, Executive Director of Seattle's Downtown Emergency Service Center, spoke on Thursday's panel. He said the combination of constant stress and anxiety over safety and where they'll spend the night, paired with the wet, unsanitary conditions they're exposed to has an adverse effect on their health.

The average age of homeless people in King County has raised to mid-50s. However, the life expectancy has lowered to the low-60s.

"We are seeing a whole lot of end-of-life medical conditions that we expect to see in people in their last 10 years of life, it's just that the folks are not very old," said Malone.

Malone says the fix is more around-the-clock housing options and that sick people could focus better on improving their health if they were in an environment away from typical stressors homeless people face.

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