Purpose This study aims to review international literature systematically to estimate the prevalence of homelessness among incarcerated persons at the time of imprisonment and the time of discharge. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review methodology was used to identify quantitative observational studies that looked at the prevalence of homelessness at the time of imprisonment, or up to 30 days prior to that point (initial homelessness), and at the time of discharge from prisons. Studies reported in English from inception to 11 September 2019 were searched for using eight databases (PsycInfo, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycArticles, Scopus, Web of Science and the Campbell Collaboration), in addition to grey literature. Studies were screened independently by three researchers. Results of studies meeting inclusion criteria were meta-analysed using a random effects model to generate pooled prevalence data. Findings A total of 18 out of 2,131 studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies originated from the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland or Australia. The estimated prevalence of initial homelessness was 23.41% and at time of discharge was 29.94%. Substantial heterogeneity was observed among studies. Originality/value People in prisons are over twenty times more likely to be homeless than those in the general population. This is likely attributable to a range of health and social factors. Studies in this analysis suggest higher rates of homelessness in minority populations and among those with mental illnesses and neurodevelopmental disorders. While there was significant heterogeneity among studies, the results highlight the global burden of this issue and a clear necessity for targeted interventions to address homelessness in this population.

Background: This cross-sectional study sought to establish the prevalence of homelessness amongst inpatients in two psychiatric units in Ireland, and explore the perceived relationship between psychiatric illness and homelessness.Methods: The study employed a semistructured interview format utilising a specifically designed questionnaire which received ethical approval from the Limerick University Hospitals Group ethics committee. Results: Fifty psychiatric inpatients were interviewed. Fifteen were either "currently" homeless (n=8) or had experienced "past" homelessness (n=7). Those who had experienced homelessness were more likely to have a psychotic illness. A majority of those who had experienced homelessness believed that psychiatric illness contributed to their homelessness. involuntary admission rates were more than double for patients in the homeless group. A number of participants also reported that a lack of accommodation was preventing their discharge. Conclusion: Homelessness affects a significant number of psychiatric patients and can be both a contributory factor to, and consequence of, mental illness. With homelessness at unprecedented levels, there is a need for the development of tailored programmes aimed at supporting these vulnerable groups.

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The cost of a healthy diet has been one of the major barriers identified to healthy eating. In a recent systematic review, Darmon & Drewnowski [10] investigated the role of food prices and costs on socioeconomic disparities in diet quality and health. They demonstrated that healthier diets and the majority of nutrient-dense foods have been found internationally to be more expensive. Higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, which are promoted as part of healthy eating guidelines, are associated with higher costs. Some nutrient-dense foods are low cost but are often unacceptable culturally, for example, lentils are a relatively inexpensive source of protein but not a staple food in Irish culture. Qualitative research finds that food is a flexible part of the household budget [11,12]. Other household costs are fixed, for example rent, whereas food costs can be reduced in low income families by choosing less nutrient-dense foods where the focus is on filling up household members.One of the main approaches to investigating food costs and diet quality has combined food composition databases and dietary

Background Research has shown that religious affiliation has a protective effect against deliberate self-harm. This is particularly pronounced in periods of increased religious significance, such as periods of worship, celebration, and fasting. However, no data exist as to whether this effect is present during the Christian period of Lent. Our hypothesis was that Lent would lead to decreased presentations of self-harm emergency department (ED) in a predominantly Catholic area of Ireland. Methods Following ethical approval, we retrospectively analysed data on presentations to the ED of University Hospital Limerick during the period of Lent and the 40 days immediately preceding it. Frequency data were compared using Pearson’s chi-squared tests in SPSS. Results There was no significant difference in the overall number of people presenting to the ED with self-harm during Lent compared to the 40 days preceding it (χ2 = 0.75, df = 1, p > 0.05), and there was no difference in methods of self-harm used. However, there was a significant increase in attendances with self-harm during Lent in the over 50’s age group (χ2 = 7.76, df = 1, p = 0.005). Conclusions Based on our study, Lent is not a protective factor for deliberate self-harm and was associated with increased presentations in the over 50’s age group. Further large-scale studies are warranted to investigate this finding as it has implications for prevention and management of deliberate self-harm.