Suicide gap among young adults in Scotland: population study
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《英国医生杂志》
1 School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST
Correspondence to: P Boyle P.Boyle@st-andrews.ac.uk
Introduction
The number of suicides increased for young adults in a 20 year period when the number among older adults declined. The rise in standardised mortality ratios was larger for young men (72.43%) than young women (19.04%). The suicide gap between the most and least deprived areas widened more for young women; there were over six times as many deaths in the most compared with the least deprived fifth in 1999-2001 (152 v 24). For young men the rates rose in every fifth, with a particularly large and significant rise in the most deprived fifth.
Recent media and political attention has focused on rising suicide rates among young men. The relative rise in suicides among young people in poor areas in Scotland, however, has increased during the 1990s and warrants more attention. While suicide polarisation is greater for young women, partly because of declines in the numbers in less deprived areas, the suicide rate in the most deprived fifth is particularly high for young men.
The Scottish Executive aims to reduce the number of suicides by 20% between 2003 and 2013.4 One "priority risk group" is defined geographically as "people in isolated or rural communities." Those in the most deprived areas are not prioritised, although the executive acknowledges that efforts are needed to help vulnerable people in society and address inequalities. Various factors that influence suicide, such as drug misuse, divorce, and unemployment are more common in deprived areas.5 Our results suggest that these areas should be targeted among the "priority risk groups" in the future.
What is already known on this topic
Suicide is more common in Scotland than in the rest of the United Kingdom, and rates have been rising, particularly among young men
What this study adds
There is a growing social polarisation of suicide among young people in the most deprived parts of Scotland.
See also pp 167, 176
This article was posted on bmj.com on 22 December 2004: http://bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.38328.559572.55
Contributors: All authors participated in design, execution, analysis, and writing up of different parts of the study. PB had the main coordinating responsibility for the study design and DE for the analysis. PB is guarantor.
Funding: DE was funded by an overseas research studentship award. This research was undertaken as part of his PhD dissertation.
Competing interests: None declared.
Ethical approval: Not required.
References
McLoone P. Suicide and deprivation in Scotland. BMJ 1996;312: 543-4.
McLoone P, Boddy FA. Deprivation and mortality in Scotland, 1981 and 1991. BMJ 1994;309: 1465-74.
Exeter D, Boyle PJ, Feng Z, Flowerdew R, Schierloh N. The creation of `consistent areas through time' (CATTs) in Scotland, 1981-2001. Population Trends (in press).
Scottish Executive. Choose life: a national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland. Edinburgh: Stationery Office, 2002.
Gunnell D, Frankel S. Prevention of suicide: aspirations and evidence. BMJ 1994;308: 1227-33.(Paul Boyle, professor of human geography)
Correspondence to: P Boyle P.Boyle@st-andrews.ac.uk
Introduction
The number of suicides increased for young adults in a 20 year period when the number among older adults declined. The rise in standardised mortality ratios was larger for young men (72.43%) than young women (19.04%). The suicide gap between the most and least deprived areas widened more for young women; there were over six times as many deaths in the most compared with the least deprived fifth in 1999-2001 (152 v 24). For young men the rates rose in every fifth, with a particularly large and significant rise in the most deprived fifth.
Recent media and political attention has focused on rising suicide rates among young men. The relative rise in suicides among young people in poor areas in Scotland, however, has increased during the 1990s and warrants more attention. While suicide polarisation is greater for young women, partly because of declines in the numbers in less deprived areas, the suicide rate in the most deprived fifth is particularly high for young men.
The Scottish Executive aims to reduce the number of suicides by 20% between 2003 and 2013.4 One "priority risk group" is defined geographically as "people in isolated or rural communities." Those in the most deprived areas are not prioritised, although the executive acknowledges that efforts are needed to help vulnerable people in society and address inequalities. Various factors that influence suicide, such as drug misuse, divorce, and unemployment are more common in deprived areas.5 Our results suggest that these areas should be targeted among the "priority risk groups" in the future.
What is already known on this topic
Suicide is more common in Scotland than in the rest of the United Kingdom, and rates have been rising, particularly among young men
What this study adds
There is a growing social polarisation of suicide among young people in the most deprived parts of Scotland.
See also pp 167, 176
This article was posted on bmj.com on 22 December 2004: http://bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.38328.559572.55
Contributors: All authors participated in design, execution, analysis, and writing up of different parts of the study. PB had the main coordinating responsibility for the study design and DE for the analysis. PB is guarantor.
Funding: DE was funded by an overseas research studentship award. This research was undertaken as part of his PhD dissertation.
Competing interests: None declared.
Ethical approval: Not required.
References
McLoone P. Suicide and deprivation in Scotland. BMJ 1996;312: 543-4.
McLoone P, Boddy FA. Deprivation and mortality in Scotland, 1981 and 1991. BMJ 1994;309: 1465-74.
Exeter D, Boyle PJ, Feng Z, Flowerdew R, Schierloh N. The creation of `consistent areas through time' (CATTs) in Scotland, 1981-2001. Population Trends (in press).
Scottish Executive. Choose life: a national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland. Edinburgh: Stationery Office, 2002.
Gunnell D, Frankel S. Prevention of suicide: aspirations and evidence. BMJ 1994;308: 1227-33.(Paul Boyle, professor of human geography)