UK Teen Suicide Rates Falling

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: Depression;  Mental Health;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 23 Oct 2008 - 6:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Suicide rates in those aged 10-19 in the UK declined by 28% in the seven year period from 1997-2003, shows a study published today in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. The study, carried out by researchers at the University of Manchester, showed that the decline was particularly marked in young males, where rates declined by 35%.

Despite the decline, however, suicide remains more common among young males than young females. For every one adolescent female (aged 15-19 years) who commits suicide in the UK, there are three adolescent males, the study revealed.

The research, which was carried out as part of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, showed that there were 1,722 adolescent and juvenile deaths by suicide in the UK between 1997 and 2003, which represents 4% of all suicides in that time period. The majority of young people were aged 15-19 (93% of the sample), and overall, the most common methods of suicide were hanging, followed by self-poisoning.

"Between 1997 and 2003, we found that suicide rates fell significantly, although we can only speculate on what factors may have contributed to the decline," said Dr Kirsten Windfuhr, from the Centre for Suicide Prevention at the University of Manchester. "Although changes to antidepressant prescribing may have been one factor contributing to changing suicide rates, it is likely that a combination of factors, both clinical and socio-economic, will have contributed to the decrease in suicide rates. Suicide is a rare event, and is, thankfully, rarer still among children and adolescents. However, it is still one of the leading causes of death among young people and continued monitoring of recent suicide trends is important."

Over the seven year period, only 14% of young people who committed suicide were in contact with mental health services in the year prior to their death, compared to 26% in adults. Again, there was a marked difference between males and females, with 20% of young females in contact with mental health services compared to only 12% of young males.

"The low rate of service contact in young males is particularly interesting. Young men currently have the highest rates of suicide in the UK, and yet they are least likely to seek help," said Windfuhr. "Further research is needed to identify the specific risk factors associated with young suicide, and a multi-agency approach including health, social and education services may be the most effective strategy for preventing suicide in young people. In particular, research should be focused on the barriers which prevent young males from seeking help."

Full citation:
Windfuhr K, While D, Hunt I, Turnbull P, Lowe R, Burns J, Swinson N, Shaw J, Appleby L, Kapur N and the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness
"Suicide in juveniles and adolescents in the United Kingdom."
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 49:11 (2008), pp 1157-1167 doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01938.x

About the author

Dr. Kirsten Windfuhr is Senior Project Manager for the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, in the Centre for Suicide Prevention, at the University of Manchester. To arrange an interview, please contact Aeron Haworth at the University of Manchester press office by e-mail Aeron.Haworth@manchester.ac.uk or by telephone on 0161-275-8383 or 07717 881 563.

This research was funded by the National Patient Safety Agency (for more information, please visit http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/) the Scottish Government and Department of Health and Social Care and Public Safety in N. Ireland.

About the journal

The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, is internationally recognised to be the leading journal covering both child and adolescent psychology and psychiatry. Articles published include experimental and developmental studies, especially those relating to developmental psychopathology and the developmental disorders. An important function of the Journal is to bring together empirical research, clinical studies and reviews of high quality arising from different points of view. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry can be accessed online at: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/jcpp

About The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health

The Association is a learned Society managed by an elected Board within a Constitution accepted by the membership. The Objects of the Association are the scientific study of all matters concerning the mental health and development of children through the medium of meetings, academic initiatives and publications - The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, and the ACAMH Occasional Papers series - in which scientific matters can be discussed, and clinical findings, research projects and results can be published. The Association is multi-disciplinary in nature, and exists to further all aspects of child and adolescent mental health. Membership of the Association does not confer professional status on any individual. For further information, please visit http://www.acamh.org.uk.

Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley's Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit http://www.blackwellpublishing.com or http://interscience.wiley.com.

Jennifer Beal | Public Relations Associate
Wiley-Blackwell
John Wiley & Sons, The Atrium, Southern Gate,
Chichester PO19 8SQ, England
t: +44 (0) 1243 770633 | m: +44 (0) 7802 468863 | f: +44 (0) 1243 775878
e-mail: jbeal@wiley.com
http://www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell