Suicide rate high amongst men
Published 9 Feb 2012 10:30
MORE men are committing suicide in Scotland than in England and Wales, according to a new study.
The trend is particularly worrying amongst younger men, with the gap now 80 per cent higher.
Rates in Scotland were initially lower in the 60s but overtook England and Wales around 1968 and the gap widened in the 90s.
The researchers from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester looked at suicide rates between 1960 and 2008.
The most significant increase was among men in Scotland aged between 25 and 54.
The study shows that in Scotland the male suicide rate is 31 per 100,000, against a rate of 17 per 100,000 south of the Border.
The research was carried out by the universities of Manchester and Edinburgh and the Medical Research Council's Social and Public Health Sciences Unit in Glasgow.
Professor Stephen Platt, from the Centre for Population Health Sciences at Edinburgh University, said: "This study adds to our understanding about patterns of suicide in Great Britain by producing sound evidence on divergences in long-term trends in Scotland compared to England and Wales.
"In a future companion paper we will suggest explanations for the persisting higher rate of suicide in Scotland."
Dr Roger Webb, from Manchester University's Centre for Suicide Prevention, added: "One of the key changes in methods used during the study period was the marked increase in suicide by hanging, particularly among young men in Scotland."
He added: "It has been proposed that a public information campaign about hanging would be the most useful way to tackle the increase of suicide deaths by this method."
It was funded by the chief scientist office of the Scottish government and published online by the British Journal of Psychiatry.
If you need to talk to someone call:
* Samaritans: 08457 90 90 90
* ChildLine: 0800 1111
* Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87
This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 09 Feb 12
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