Mental
Health Association in New York State, Inc. |
Community Connections, Winter 2002/2003
Suicide Rates After 22 Years In a recent study conducted in the United Kingdom, a total of 223 individuals that were interviewed between 1977 and 1980 were traced for a follow up interviews to find if those that survived suicide attempts had repeated suicide attempts. While the researchers were unable to find all of the 223 participants they were able to trace 140 individuals. These 140 were followed until July 2000. The findings show that during the 20.3 - 23.1 years from the initial interviews to July 2000, 25 people died (18%). Of these deaths the overall probably suicide rate was 4.3 per 1000 year. The rate shifted over time but did not decline with time. The rate was 5.9 per 1000 per year, between year one and year five; zero between years five through ten; then 4.7 per 1000, per year, for years ten through 15; and five deaths per 1000, per year, between 15 and 20 years; and 6.8 per 1000, per year, in the final three years. This research further emphasizes the importance of recognizing and attending to the risk of subsequent suicide attempts even when the previous attempt was many years ago. Other research has shown that the “rate of suicide for people who have had an episode of parasuicide is 100 times higher in the year following the episode that that of the general population.” This report is available online at http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7373/1155 posted 1/28/03 |