Last year saw a dramatic 11 per cent increase in male deliberate self-harm cases, the National Suicide Research Foundation has revealed. In total, 11,700 deliberate self-harm presentations involving 9,218 individuals of both genders were made to hospital emergency departments in 2008.
The Annual Report of the National Registry of Deliberate Self Harm, published on July 20, found the national person-based rate of self harm increased by 6 per cent, from 188 per 100,000 in 2007 to 200 per 100,000 last year. The strongest increase in self-harm was observed in men, with a rise of 11 per cent (180 per 100,000 in 2008 compared to 162 per 100,000 in 2007). This is the highest rate since the start of the Registry in 2002. Among women, the increase was 4 per cent.
The report revealed that almost half of presentations were by people under 30, with the peak rate for women in the 15-19 age group and for men in the 20-24 age group. An increase in self harm was also observed amongst those aged as young as 10-14 years.
The incidence of deliberate self-harm was highest in HSE Dublin/North East and lowest in HSE South. City rates generally exceeded those of the counties, particularly for men.
The proportion of deliberate self-harm patients who left the emergency department without admission had increased, with particular concern for those who used highly lethal methods, such as attempted hanging and drowning. The admission rates varied considerably across hospitals and HSE regions reflecting a ‘lack of uniform assessment procedures’ for this patient group, the report said.
Posted in Public Health on 28 July 2009
