Average of 10 homeless people died each month during 2020

An average of 10 homeless people died every month in the State in 2020, according to the latest statistics from the Health Research Board (HRB).

Data from closed coroners’ files across Ireland shows 121 people who were homeless died during that year, up from 92 people in 2019.

Three out of four homeless people who died in 2020 were men.

Almost all of those who died had a history of substance use or dependency, the report shows, and there was a high prevalence of mental health and medical conditions.

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The analysis shows those who died while homeless were much younger than the national average at the time of their death, with a median age of 36.5 for women and 42 for men.

Half of the men who died were aged 42 or younger and 50 per cent of women were 36½ or younger whereas the majority of deaths nationally are in the 65+ age group.

More than half of the deaths occurred in Dublin, with some two-thirds involving people who were homeless and in temporary or crisis accommodation. A total of 23 people who died were known to have been sleeping rough.

Almost half of deaths occurred in specific accommodation for those who were homeless, with a further third occurring in a public place.

Poisoning was the cause of nearly six in 10 deaths, with opioids the most common drugs implicated in these deaths.

“Behind each of these numbers is a life lost. The findings of this report highlight the very difficult situation faced by some of the most vulnerable people in our community,” HRB chief executive Dr Mairead O’Driscoll said.

She said the aim of the report was to “provide evidence that can inform harm reduction strategies and future policies to support those experiencing homelessness”.

The study builds on a pilot project, which looked at deaths in 2019, requested by the Department of Health to present a national picture of premature mortality among people who are homeless.

The figures were largely similar to those recorded for 2019.

“In 2020 we see the impact of problem substance use and mental health conditions, with the majority of those who died dealing with one or both of these issues at the time of their death,” said Dr Suzi Lyons, senior researcher at the HRB.

“Our findings show that these cases are complex, and that a coordinated approach is needed between drug and alcohol treatment services, mental health supports and approaches to harm reduction.”

Homeless charity Focus Ireland said the number of deaths among people who were sleeping rough came at a time when only around 100 people were doing so each night during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It said this should “give the Government cause to reconsider” a number of current policies which are likely to increase the risk of people having to sleep rough, such as a failure to provide shelter to male international protection applicants and to deny local authority shelter to people who cannot prove an entitlement to social housing.

Focus Ireland’s diretcor of advocacy Mike Allen said the “high proportion” of deaths recorded due to poisoning and the high level of mental health issues highlight that a lack of housing is the root of homelessness “but gaps in addiction and mental health services for vulnerable groups increase extent of homelessness and the harm it causes”.

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