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Ageing towards 21 as a risk factor for Young Adult Suicide in the UK and Ireland

‘Many young men of twenty said goodbye’†

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 November 2012

K. M. Malone ,
L. Quinlivan ,
T. Grant  and
C. C. Kelleher
K. M. Malone*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy & Mental Health Research, St Vincent's University Hospital, School of Medicine & Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland
L. Quinlivan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy & Mental Health Research, St Vincent's University Hospital, School of Medicine & Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland
T. Grant
Affiliation:
School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Population Science, University College Dublin, Ireland
C. C. Kelleher
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy & Mental Health Research, St Vincent's University Hospital, School of Medicine & Medical Science, University College Dublin, Ireland School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Population Science, University College Dublin, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: Professor K. M. Malone, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy & Mental Health Research, St. Vincent's University Hospital & School of Medicine & Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland. (Email: k.malone@svuh.ie)
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Abstract

Aims.

Youth and young adult suicide has increasingly appeared on international vital statistics as a rising trend of concern in age-specific mortality over the past 50 years. The reporting of suicide deaths in 5-year age bands, which has been the international convention to date, may mask a greater understanding of year-on-year factors that may accelerate or ameliorate the emergence of suicidal thoughts, acts and fatal consequences. The study objective was to identify any year-on-year period of increased risk for youth and young adult suicide in the UK and Ireland.

Methods.

Collation and examination of international epidemiological datasets on suicide (aged 18–35) for the UK and Ireland 2000–2006 (N = 11 964). Outcome measures included the age distribution of suicide mortality in international datasets from the UK and Ireland, 2000–2006.

Results.

An accelerated pattern of risk up to the age of 20 for the UK and Ireland which levels off moderately thereafter was uncovered, thus identifying a heretofore unreported age-related epidemiological transition for suicide.

Conclusions.

The current reporting of suicide in 5-year age bands may conceal age-related periods of risk for suicide. This may have implications for suicide prevention programmes for young adults under age 21.

Keywords

Ageingepidemiological transitionsurvival analysisyouth suicide
Type
Original Articles
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , September 2013 , pp. 263 - 267
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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Footnotes

†

From the play ‘Many Young Men of Twenty’ by John B. Keane (Progress House, Dublin, 1961)

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