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Suicidal behavior among homeless people in Japan

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the frequency and correlates of suicidal behavior among homeless people in Japan.

Methods

A face-to-face survey was conducted in two districts of Tokyo, Japan, with 423 subjects who resided on streets and riversides and in urban parks and stations (street homeless) or who were residents of shelters, cheap hotels, or welfare homes for homeless people (sheltered homeless).

Results

When questioned about suicidal ideation in the previous 2 weeks, 51 subjects (12.2 % of valid responses) had a recurring wish to die, 29 (6.9 %) had frequent thoughts of suicide, and 22 (5.3 %) had made suicide plans. In addition, 11 (2.9 %) subjects had attempted suicide in the previous 2 weeks and 74 (17.7 %) reported that they had ever attempted suicide. In univariate logistic regression analyses, street homelessness, lack of perceived emotional social support, poor subjective health perception, visual impairment, pain, insomnia, poor mental well-being, and current depression were significantly associated with recurrent thoughts of suicide in the previous 2 weeks. Among these, current depression had the greatest significance. In multivariate logistic regression analyses after controlling for depression, street homelessness and lack of perceived emotional social support were significantly associated with recurrent thoughts of suicide in the previous 2 weeks.

Conclusion

Comprehensive interventions including housing and social support as well as mental health services might be crucial as effective strategies for suicide prevention among homeless people.

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Acknowledgments

We are deeply grateful to the staff of these two nonprofit organizations, TENOHASI and Hurusatonokai, for their extensive cooperation. This study was supported, in part, by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Labor.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Tsuyoshi Okamura, Kae Ito & Shuichi Awata

  2. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Tsuyoshi Okamura

  3. Department of Geriatrics and Vascular Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School, 45-5-1 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Kae Ito

  4. Yowa Hospital, 1-17-2 Ooizumi-cho, Nerima-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Suimei Morikawa

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  1. Tsuyoshi Okamura
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  2. Kae Ito
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  4. Shuichi Awata
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Correspondence to Tsuyoshi Okamura.

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Okamura, T., Ito, K., Morikawa, S. et al. Suicidal behavior among homeless people in Japan. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 49, 573–582 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0791-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0791-y

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