Suicide rate in Republic exceeds NI-conference

The suicide rate in the Republic is significantly higher than in Northern Ireland, statistics presented to a conference in Belfast yesterday revealed.

Caroline Farquhar, of the Scottish suicide prevention group Choose Life, presented figures showing that in 2003 there were 12.5 deaths from suicide per 100,000 of the population in the Republic, compared to 8.5 deaths per 100,000 in the North.

The comparative figure for England was 9.9 deaths per 100,000. The figure for Wales was 12 deaths, while Scotland had the highest rate in these islands of 15.7 deaths per 100,000.

No specific reason for this island of Ireland disparity was given at the conference, although Derek Chambers, research and resource officer of the South's National Suicide Review Group, suggested that the Republic's figures may be more accurate.

"There may be an underestimation of suicide deaths in Northern Ireland," said Mr Chambers who, in his address, demonstrated how the incidence of suicide among young people in the Republic was particularly acute.

He said there were 15.7 suicide deaths per 100,000 in the Republic of people in their 20s or early 30s. "Suicide rates are peaking for people in this age group. This is a new phenomenon, as the normal trend is for peaks to increase with age."

Mr Chambers said men were the most vulnerable gender group as the suicide level among males was 80 per cent. He added that one in three suicides were unemployed, while more than one in four were medical card holders. The most common day for suicide was Monday, followed by Sunday and Saturday, suggesting that alcohol or substance abuse was a factor.

Almost one in four suicide victims was reported by a doctor or psychiatrist to have a history of alcohol abuse. Mr Chambers said this figure was an underestimation. This view appeared to be supported by the US expert on suicide prevention, David Litts, who said 90 per cent of people who took their lives had "diagnosable mental or substance-abuse disorders or both".

Mr Chambers is project manager of the South's National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention, which will be launched by Minister for Health Mary Harney on September 8th.

The North's health minister, Shaun Woodward, is due to receive an interim report on how to tackle suicide in Northern Ireland at the end of October and a detailed report at the end of December. This will form the basis for the Northern Ireland Office's future strategy for addressing suicide.

Ms Farquhar said, based on the Scottish experience, there could be a gradual reduction in suicide levels but "no quick fixes. It's undoubtedly a 10-year strategy. This is complex, like finding a cure for cancer, and you can't do it overnight. It's about changing attitudes and that could take several generations."

Gerard and Carol McCartan, whose 18-year-old son Danny took his life in April, said more support was required to prevent suicide, particularly for vulnerable teenagers.