Hemodialysis and homelessness: a literature review and a call for research.

As the U.S. population ages, the number of persons with chronic conditions increases. Social isolation, declining health status, unemployment, and/or decreased income levels can all contribute to a forced change in residence. People on hemodialysis who are living in precarious housing situations are an under-recognized and silent population. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a larger population of hemodialysis patients living in various nontraditional situations than the literature reveals. This article describes both the homeless and chronic renal disease populations and demographic overlay, and issues a call for research.