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The report examined deaths which occurred in the Republic in 2002. Of the 1,800 deaths into which an inquest was held, 495 were recorded as deaths by suicide. The researchers were given access to what is known as form 104 for the first time. This is a form which gardaí complete for coroners' inquests to determine the cause of death, when such deaths are thought not to be through natural causes. "It is the first time that Irish data has shown separated people to be a high risk group," said Dr Paul Corcoran, deputy director of the National Suicide Research Foundation. "It is worth looking into, in terms of suicide prevention as the number of separated people in Ireland is increasing." Dr Corcoran said the study of inquested deaths was the first time such data had been separated out from general data collected by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The report finds that separated men and women have high suicide rates, far higher than married people. The figures also show that unemployed men are four times more likely to take their own lives than men in employment. The suicide rate of women who were unemployed was five times higher than that of women in employment. Women who were "engaged in home duties" had a similar suicide rate to the employed. As in traffic deaths, overall, the study found that the highest rates of suicide were among young men, according to the report. In general, two-thirds of men who died by suicide did so by hanging, whereas for women, the most common forms of death by suicide were hanging, drowning and drug overdoses. On the issue of whether alcohol was involved, Dr Corcoran said the data was not reliable, as it seemed at odds with gener all y accepted data on suicide, ie alcohol dependence seemed to be underestimated as a factor. The report found that an above-average number of deaths happened on Sundays and Mondays. It said accidental deaths peaked on Sundays, whereas suicide deaths peaked on Mondays. For each of these categories, the rate was at least 20 per cent higher than average on these days. Suicide deaths were least common on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with 17 per cent fewer deaths than average. The data demonstrated that suicides peak in late spring and early summer (April to June). Dr Corcoran said people would expect such deaths to occur more in winter, but these findings bore out similar studies around the world. It also found that about half of suicide deaths occurred around the home of the deceased, compared with 26-30 per cent of the accidents and homicides. "The data indicated that a final communication - gener all y in the form of a written note - was made in 30 per cent of suicide deaths. Dr Corcoran said the data was limited in respect of occupation of the deceased. However, he said, there seemed to be a high rate of suicide among semi-skilled and unskilled workers, including builders' labourers, assembly line workers, security guards and bar staff. He cited Australia where a major initiative had been launched to target young men in the building industry, where it was thought that issues such as bullying had led to suicides. "We should consider launching similar initiatives here," he said. The data was based on the 104 forms, which are completed by Gardaí for inquests, giving details about the deceased and the facts surrounding the death. Dr Corcoran said it was not the fault of the Gardaí, but these forms were not always satisfactory. The report recommends that some changes be made in these forms to provide more accurate information. In addition, Dr Corcoran said some different mechanism needed to be developed to collect more in-depth information on the medical and other contributory factors associated with suicide. Tough Times: New Mental Health Campaign Reaches Out to Young People in Distress - 50% of those who die by suicide in Ireland are under 25 years old Young people who are experiencing difficulties in their lives are being encouraged to talk to others about it in an innovative national mental health promotion campaign called 'Tough Times' launched in mid June. It encourages young people to talk to friends, family, healthcare professionals or professional support agencies about their difficulties - however small or large they may be. It also points young people towards www.spunout.ie, which provides factsheets on a range of health and lifestyle issues, signposts users to relevant help services throughout the country and gives young people a platform to air their views. The campaign was commissioned and joint funded by Console and the 3Ts and produced by Kairos Communications. The cost of airing the advertisement on RTE television was provided by Console and the National Office for Suicide Prevention. Ireland has the 5th highest suicide rate in Europe for the 15-25 year age group. Death by suicide is the number one cause of death among young Irish men. This campaign aims to reduce the large number of deaths by suicide by raising awareness of the alternative options available to young people in crisis, and will use a combination of television advertising, poster campaign, online marketing and presence at festivals and concerts, radio, newspaper and magazine features to communicate its key message that everyone goes through tough times and answers are out there. The television advertisement will air for 2 weeks from June 19th and features Ian Howley, a 22 year old student who attempted suicide three times in his early to mid teens. He got involved in the campaign through SpunOut.ie, to help others learn from his experience. "Everyone experiences tough times at some stage in their lives. Many young people continue to face a range of health and social pressures leaving them struggling to cope with life's challenges, but I don't want any other person to have to feel what I felt and to go through what I have - there is someone you can talk to so no-one need suffer alone." The young people featured in the advertisement provided direction and guidance on the issues raised in the ad including coming out to parents, unexpected pregnancy, low self esteem and depression. The highest rate of suicide is found among young men aged under 35 years - accounting for approximately 40% of all Irish suicides. Many men resist seeking professional help for psychological problems, often disliking the idea of talking to strangers about their problems. A key challenge in the prevention of suicidal behaviour in young men therefore is to change this attitude - the key message of this campaign. Speaking in advance of the campaign, Andrew Garvey, chair of the suicide bereavement group Console said. "It's perfectly normal to experience tough times in life. We all do. Talking about an issue can make such a difference. There is no need to feel that you're alone. Talk to family, friends, teachers, youth workers, health professionals or support organizations whether it's through a helpline, counsellor or a clinic. Never feel that there is nowhere to turn. However big the problem may seem, it is not insurmountable." He also encouraged people to call Console's helpline on 1800201890. Well known Cork rock-pop outfit the Frank and Walters donated the background track 'New York' to the advertisement and are active supporters of the campaign. Ashley Keating, of the Frank and Walters explained why they've lent their support. "We think it's time the music industry rallied behind causes like this. Mental health problems and suicide affect everybody. We believe in the power of music to help people understand, survive and heal. The Tough Times campaign is particularly powerful as it brings together music, youth, health, community, government and media agencies to rally for a collective solution to a collective problem. We're encouraging others to join us". The organizers hope to involve a range of celebrities, politicians, funders and other organizations to support the campaign in time for the second phase in September by signing up online at www.spunout.ie RTE’s Prime Time hosted a programme dedicated to the problem of Suicide in Irish Society with contributions from co-founder of 3Ts, psychiatrist, Prof Kevin Malone of UCD & St Vincents University Hospital; Geoff Day, Director of the National Office for Suicide Prevention and Pat Buckley of the Lets Get Together Foundation in Midleton. Exciting new website by young people for young people: Rather than producing a website that they think ‘the youth of today’ would appreciate, the writers at Spunout think it’s time that young people had a chance to create their own media. SpunOut.ie is Ireland's biggest and best youth website. It covers all aspects of health, lifestyle, culture and craic. It's an online youth information centre, a magazine, a health clinic, a contact directory, a youth media forum, a take action initiative, a community building place and lots more. It's the business! Take a look on www.SpunOut.ie If you or your organisation have any news you would like featured on our website, please submit it to: 3ts@alburn.com. |
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