Suicidal attempts and stressful life events among women in a homeless situation in Madrid (Spain)

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to analyze the relationship between suffering from stressful life events (SLE) and subsequent suicidal behaviour among women in a homeless situation, examining the differences in the number and characteristics of SLE experienced by attempters and non-attempters. The study was carried out based on the data obtained from a sample of women living homeless in Madrid (Spain) (n=138). The information was gathered using a structured interview. The results show that 46% of these women living homeless in Madrid had attempted suicide, and 32% of them had done so for the first time when they were homeless. We observed a high level of SLE among the women in a homeless situation, with a substantial increase in the number and severity of the stressors suffered by the interviewees who had attempted suicide, both during their childhood and adolescence and in their later lives