Parasuicide Rates Higher Than Expected

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Parasuicide Rates Higher Than Expected

[Posted: Tue 08/10/2002]

By Deborah Condon

Up to 10,000 people needed hospital treatment last year as a result of parasuicide, well above previous estimates of 5,000, a major new report has shown.

Parasuicide is self-injury, such as a drug overdose, that is not motivated by a genuine wish to die. However many people who have acted in this way do go on to attempt or commit suicide.

According to the first Annual Report of the National Parasuicide Registry, the estimate of 10,000 may have to be revised upwards, as information for Dublin city is not yet available and data indicates relatively high rates of parasuicide there.

The report is based on information collected from A&E departments throughout 2001. Full 12-month data was collected from four health board areas; the Midland Health Board, Mid Western Health Board, South Eastern Health Board and Southern Health Board. Six-month data was also collected from the North Eastern Health Board.

The two boards with the lowest overall parasuicide rates were the North Eastern and Southern Health Board areas, according to the report.

It also found that the overall gender balance is relatively uniform throughout all health board areas, with around 56% of hospital admissions being female. However rates of parasuicide for women generally 'significantly exceed rates for men' in rural areas, the report states.

The National Parasuicide Registry was launched in January 2001, in order to monitor the level of attempted suicide in Ireland. The registry provides important information on the general characteristics of people who attempt suicide. It also provides a better knowledge of suicidal behaviour and specifies trends in parasuicide over time and in different regions of the country.

http://www.irishhealth.com/?level=4&id=4299

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