Homeless more likely to self-harm

Homeless people are 30 times more likely to self-harm than those living in fixed residences, according to a new study analysing five years of hospital presentations.

The research found, in addition to homeless people suffering “a disproportionate burden of self-harm”, they were also more likely to have a repeat incident of self-harming within 12 months.

Conducted by Dr Ella Arensman of the National Suicide Research Foundation and colleagues from the Department of Public Health (Cork & Kerry) at Cork’s St Finbarr’s Hospital and the School of Public Health in UCC, the study noted homeless people are significantly more likely to present with self-cutting or attempted drowning, while intentional drug overdose was the most common method of self-harm among both the homeless and fixed residence populations.