Scoping Review: Suicide Specific Intervention Programmes for People Experiencing Homelessness

The homeless population are among the most vulnerable groups to experience suicide ideation and behavior. Several studies have shown that people who are homeless experience more significant suicidal ideation and behavior than the general population. However, there is limited information about what suicide interventions exist, to what extent they are grounded in robust research, and which intervention components effectively reduce suicidal ideation and behavior in the homeless community. This research aimed to characterise the current evidence base in the area of suicide prevention for homeless individuals.

A scoping review guided by Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework was conducted and a narrative synthesis was performed. Pubmed, EMBASE, PsychInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Open Grey, and Bielefeld Academic Search Engine were searched up to 8 May 2020.

A total of 3209 records were identified through database and grey literature searching. Three studies are included in this review. Key outcomes identify suicide intervention prevention programmes; similarities and differences across interventions, and examples of staff training. A quality review of the studies was completed.

A stark gap in the evidence of suicide specific prevention interventions targeted at homeless populations.