Suicide in Northern Ireland: epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention

Abstract

The rates of suicide and self-harm in Northern Ireland have increased markedly from 2004 to 2019, with a particularly striking increase from 143 registered suicides in 1996 to 305 in 2017. This review summarises the epidemiology of suicidal behaviour, as well as the evidence from a small number of studies that have identified risk factors associated with the high suicide rates here. These were mental illness, trauma, exposure to the conflict, deprivation, relationship problems, employment difficulties, financial difficulties, being LGBT, adversities and alcohol or drug use. It highlights key challenges and opportunities for suicide prevention, emphasising a lifespan approach. More needs to be done to address the relationship between substance misuse and suicide. Future research and prevention efforts should also focus on the transgenerational impact of the conflict, youth suicide, suicide prevention among minority groups and the criminal justice context. The delivery and access to suicide-specific psychosocial interventions need to be prioritised, more support for people in crisis is required, as well as interventions for mental illness. Protect Life 2, the national suicide prevention strategy, needs to be implemented in full. Given the legacy of conflict in Northern Ireland, all suicide prevention efforts should be trauma-informed.

Accurate Diagnosis of Suicide Ideation/Behavior Using Robust Ensemble Machine Learning: A University Student Population in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

“…Psychological illness is another input feature in three prediction systems that could predict suicide ideation/behavior. This is in line with previous studies that found a strong relationship between psychological distress and suicide ideation [ 85 , 90 , 91 , 92 ]. In our study, the main psychological problems that could predict suicide ideation/behavior were depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.…”

“…The main items here were the type of exposure to trauma (first-hand or witnessing trauma) and PTSD symptoms. These findings complement previous findings showing that there is a strong link between trauma exposure and suicide risk [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 36 , 85 , 86 ]. PTSD symptoms such as cognitive distortion, irritability, and an intense feeling of distress when reminded of the traumatic event were the main variables that could predict suicide risk.…”

Risk of repetition and subsequent self-harm following presentation to hospital with suicidal ideation: A longitudinal registry study

“…This finding reinforces the expression of suicidal ideation as an important marker of psychological distress amongst young people [7]. For most, onset of self-harm occurs in adolescence and international findings have shown an increasing trend in self-harm in young people in recent years [22,23], and there are particular concerns about transgenerational trauma amongst young people in Northern Ireland [24]. Opportunities for early intervention for young people expressing ideation could be an effective suicide prevention target.…”

A Multifactorial Interpretation of a Teenager’s Suicide: Based on Krystal’s Death in Casual Vacancy

“…Social support system is a crucial protective factor of adolescence suicide [23]. Krystal had made significant efforts to adapt to and survive her poor environment, but most of her efforts were unsuccessful because the social support system that could have helped her did not function properly.…”