Over 8,000 treated for self-harm last year

More than 8,000 people were treated in hospital in 2004 after deliberately harming themselves, according to a report by the National Suicide Research Foundation.

The NSRF's National Parasuicide Registry - which monitors the occurrence of deliberate self-harm - indicates there were 11,100 presentations to hospital due to deliberate self-harm involving some 8,600 individuals, in Ireland last year.

This represents a small decrease of 4 per cent in self-harm rates on 2003. Launching the report today, the NSRF says deliberate self harm is one of the most significant risk factors associated with suicide.

It said: "Those who engage in self harm are twenty times more likely to eventually die by suicide. Studies have shown that at least one third of all suicides have a history of deliberate self harm".

The report reveals deliberate self-harm was largely confined to the younger age groups with 46 per cent of all presentations involving people under 30 years of age.

The peak rate for women was in the 15 to 19-years-age group, at 613 per 100,000. This translates to one in every 160 adolescent girls being treated in hospital in 2004 as a result of deliberate self-harm.

This is a 6 per cent reduction on the rates observed among girls in 2003. Among men, those in the 20-24 years age group were at highest risk, with a rate of 407 per 100,000, which was 7 per cent lower than in 2003.

Among men, those in the 20 to 24-years-age group were at highest risk, with a rate of 407 per 100,000, which was 7 per cent lower than in 2003.

Attending the launch of today's report, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Tim O'Malley said: "This report highlights the challenge that deliberate self harm and suicide prevention poses for our health system and our society as a whole."

Mr O'Malley said: "It will also help to identify groups which are particularly vulnerable and will assist in the evaluation of the impact of the preventative and clinical services being provided".

"The analysis of this information will be vital in the development of policies and the implementation of measures aimed at preventing suicide," the Minister added.