Death by suicide in Grampian 1991-1999: comparison with a previous study

To review the changes in suicide and undetermined death rates in Grampian between 1991-1999 and to make comparisons with a previous study on the same population.

All suicide and undetermined deaths in Grampian recorded by the General Register Office for Scotland were included and linked with the psychiatric case records from Grampian Health Board.

The high suicide and undetermined death rates in Grampian are accounted for by the excess of deaths in males. In males there has been a change in the method used to commit suicide with hanging now being the commonest method used. Firearm deaths have reduced dramatically since legislation was introduced in 1997 (RR = 021,95% CI [0.05,0.91). For those with previous psychiatric contact, a greater proportion were drug users than in 1974-1990 (OR = 3.75,95%CI [2.7, 5.2]). A higher percentage of suicides have a history of more than one previous attempt at suicide than in 1974-990. In Grampian there is a lower percentage of inpatient suicide than the rest of Scotland.

There have been changes in suicide trends in Grampian and these are similar to elsewhere in Scotland Strategies to address this are discussed.