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Relation between attempted suicide and suicide rates among young people in Europe
K Hawton1, E Arensman, D Wasserman
1University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Study Objective:
To determine if there are associations between rates of suicide and attempted suicide in 15-24 year olds in different countries in Europe.
Design:
Attempted suicide rates were based on data collected in centres in Europe between 1989 and 1992 as part of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study of Parasuicide. Comparison was made with both national suicide rates and local suicide rates for the areas in which the attempted suicide monitoring centres are based.
Setting:
15 centres in 13 European countries.
Patients:
Young people aged 15-24 years who had taken overdoses or deliberately injured themselves and been identified in health care facilities.
Main Results:
There were positive correlations (Spearman rank order) between rates of attempted suicide and suicide rates in both sexes. The correlations only reached statistical significance for male subjects: regional suicide rates, r = 0.65, p < 0.02; national suicide rates, r = 0.55, p < 0.02.
Conclusions:
Rates of attempted suicide and suicide in the young covary. The recent increase in attempted suicide rates in young male subjects in several European countries could herald a further increase in suicide rates.