Mentally ill homeless five times more likely to kill

Homeless people with a mental illness are five times more at risk of killing other people or themselves than people in the general community with such an illness.

Mon, 02 Apr, 2012 - 01:00

Cormac O’Keeffe

The finding emerged from research conducted by mental health services in Cork published in the Irish Medical Journal.

The study found very high levels of self-harm, acts of physical violence, substance abuse and severe mental illness, including schizophrenia, among homeless people.

The study was conducted among 54 people attending the mental health service for homeless people in Cork City. The results were compared against 219 people attending the general adult mental health service in the city.

The homeless group were significantly more likely to be male (89% against 46%), unemployed (96%-68%) and unmarried (98%-75%).

There was a significantly higher prevalence of schizophrenia (50%-34%); personality disorder (37%-11%) and substance dependence (74%-19%) in the homeless service users.

They were more likely to have a history of deliberate self-harm (54%-21%) and violence (48%-10%).

“Severe mental illness has a high prevalence in the homeless population, with particularly high levels of factors asso-ciated with suicide and homicide,” the research found.

The authors said research in Britain had identified 24 risk factors associated with committing homicide or suicide. “The group of homeless patients displayed many of these [factors], with 39% having more than 10 factors associated with homicide and 43% having more than 10 factors associated with suicide compared to 8% and 9%, respectively, of those attending the general adult services.”

Cork Simon said it was not surprised by the findings. “This study bears out the findings of snapshots we have been conducting since 2009, which show that levels of suicide, self-harm and suicidal ideation are quite high,” said campaigns and communications manager Paul Sheehan.

“The report points to one of the triggers of homelessness. It shows there is a very clear link between mental health and homelessness.”

On the finding regarding higher risk factors for homicide, Mr Sheehan said: “The figures there speak for themselves. We’re talking about people who are very frustrated, very angry, doors have been slammed in their faces left, right and centre, family and social relationships have broken down. All that feeds into their behaviour.”

The research was authored by Elaine Dunne of the Department of Psychiatry in Cork University Hospital, assisted by Maura Duggan and Julie O’Mahony.

* See research on imj.ie