asked the Minister for Health if he has any evidence to support the view that the number of suicides has increased in recent years; and if he will give a detailed breakdown on the sex and age group of suicide cases in the past 20 years.
Written Answers. - Suicide Statistics.
505.
The following table sets out the numbers of deaths attributed to suicide and self inflicted injury broken down by age group and sex for the years 1963 to 1982. While there has been a significant increase in these numbers over this period it is not clear to what extent this is due to an improvement in the reporting of such deaths as suicides.
|
Year |
Sex |
Age |
Total |
Total for both sexes |
|||||||
|
0-14 |
15-24 |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45-54 |
55-64 |
65-74 |
75 and over |
||||
|
1963 |
Male |
— |
1 |
8 |
9 |
7 |
17 |
8 |
3 |
53 |
|
|
Female |
— |
4 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
— |
17 |
70 |
|
|
1964 |
Male |
— |
1 |
10 |
7 |
7 |
11 |
9 |
3 |
48 |
|
|
Female |
— |
— |
2 |
— |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
58 |
|
|
1965 |
Male |
— |
2 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
8 |
7 |
3 |
44 |
|
|
Female |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2 |
4 |
1 |
— |
7 |
51 |
|
|
1966 |
Male |
— |
2 |
6 |
4 |
10 |
10 |
16 |
4 |
52 |
|
|
Female |
— |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
— |
17 |
69 |
|
|
1967 |
Male |
— |
5 |
5 |
7 |
11 |
14 |
9 |
3 |
54 |
|
|
Female |
— |
1 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
18 |
72 |
|
|
1968 |
Male |
— |
5 |
8 |
12 |
10 |
12 |
7 |
2 |
56 |
|
|
Female |
— |
3 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
— |
15 |
71 |
|
|
1969 |
Male |
— |
1 |
2 |
9 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
2 |
38 |
|
|
Female |
— |
— |
1 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
— |
14 |
52 |
|
|
1970 |
Male |
— |
8 |
5 |
7 |
5 |
13 |
5 |
2 |
45 |
|
|
Female |
— |
1 |
— |
3 |
1 |
2 |
— |
— |
7 |
52 |
|
|
1971 |
Male |
— |
7 |
10 |
18 |
6 |
11 |
6 |
1 |
59 |
|
|
Female |
— |
— |
5 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
22 |
81 |
|
|
1972 |
Male |
— |
6 |
13 |
6 |
15 |
15 |
8 |
3 |
66 |
|
|
Female |
— |
1 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
24 |
90 |
|
|
1973 |
Male |
— |
10 |
10 |
13 |
10 |
17 |
11 |
5 |
76 |
|
|
Female |
— |
5 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
29 |
105 |
|
|
1974 |
Male |
— |
14 |
20 |
15 |
15 |
17 |
7 |
4 |
92 |
|
|
Female |
— |
3 |
4 |
7 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
26 |
118 |
|
|
1975 |
Male |
— |
22 |
20 |
19 |
13 |
20 |
10 |
— |
104 |
|
|
Female |
— |
3 |
12 |
6 |
9 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
44 |
148 |
|
|
1976 |
Male |
— |
26 |
18 |
22 |
18 |
20 |
17 |
8 |
129 |
|
|
Female |
— |
8 |
4 |
12 |
8 |
12 |
9 |
1 |
54 |
183 |
|
|
1977 |
Male |
1 |
16 |
29 |
10 |
18 |
11 |
11 |
2 |
98 |
|
|
Female |
— |
6 |
10 |
13 |
9 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
53 |
151 |
|
|
1978 |
Male |
1 |
18 |
26 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
2 |
5 |
106 |
|
|
Female |
— |
7 |
13 |
5 |
12 |
13 |
6 |
1 |
57 |
163 |
|
|
1979 |
Male |
1 |
29 |
33 |
17 |
15 |
19 |
28 |
3 |
145 |
|
|
Female |
— |
5 |
10 |
7 |
7 |
11 |
2 |
6 |
48 |
193 |
|
|
1980 |
Male |
2 |
17 |
26 |
32 |
28 |
22 |
14 |
2 |
143 |
|
|
Female |
1 |
10 |
13 |
11 |
13 |
16 |
6 |
3 |
73 |
216 |
|
|
1981* |
Male |
— |
29 |
32 |
33 |
26 |
22 |
12 |
4 |
158 |
|
|
Female |
— |
5 |
10 |
11 |
13 |
14 |
8 |
1 |
62 |
220 |
|
|
1982* |
Male |
1 |
26 |
39 |
26 |
19 |
26 |
15 |
5 |
157 |
|
|
Female |
— |
7 |
8 |
16 |
11 |
14 |
5 |
2 |
63 |
220 |
*Provisional figures.