Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T06:21:32.000Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Suicide attempts v. deliberate self-harm: A response

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

M. Lawlor
Affiliation:
National Suicide Research Foundation, 1 Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork, Ireland
P. Corcoran
Affiliation:
National Suicide Research Foundation, 1 Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork, Ireland
D. Chambers
Affiliation:
National Suicide Research Foundation, 1 Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork, Ireland
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Type
Correspondence
Copyright
Copyright © 2000 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Ogundipe (Reference Ogundipe1999), citing Hawton et al (Reference Isometsä and Lönnqvist1997), states that deliberate self-harm is more common in females than males, although the difference is narrowing. In reply, Isometsä & Lönnqvist (Reference Kerkhof, Schmidtke and Bille-Brahe1999) write that Finland is the only country in Europe where males seem to have a slightly higher incidence of parasuicide than females. In Ireland, the National Suicide Research Foundation monitors hospital-treated parasuicide in one-quarter of the country. Forty-seven per cent of those treated are male and the male: female ratio is even closer to parity in urban areas. It is somewhat surprising to find that the Irish situation corresponds more closely to that in Finland as opposed to our British neighbours.

Both the Irish and Finnish data originate from centres of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study of Parasuicide. The following standardised definition of parasuicide is utilised in all centres participating in this study. “An act with non-fatal outcome, in which an individual deliberately initiates a non-habitual behaviour that, without intervention from others, will cause self-harm, or deliberately ingests a substance in excess of the prescribed or generally recognised therapeutic dosage and which is aimed at realising changes which the subject desired via the actual or expected physical consequences” (Reference OgundipeKerkhof et al, 1994). It is noteworthy that suicidal intent is not referred to in this definition. However, Isometsä & Lönnqvist indicated that some degree of suicidal intent was required in their study. It is possible for Finnish males to have a slightly higher incidence of parasuicide, as defined by the WHO/EURO Study, and for females to have higher rates when the presence of suicidal intent is required. If this were the case, it might help to explain how Isometsä & Lönnqvist found a higher proportion of female suicides with previous suicide attempts.

Unfortunately, the issue of definition in suicidology continues to provoke controversy. The lack of standardisation limits our ability to make comparisons and generalisations based on the research findings of others, whether from the same jurisdiction or not.

References

Hawton, K., Fagg, J., Simkin, S., et al (1997) Trends in deliberate self-harm in Oxford, 1985–1995. Implications for clinical services and the prevention of suicide, British Journal of Psychiatry, 171, 556560.Google Scholar
Isometsä, E. & Lönnqvist, J. (1999) Suicide attempts v. deliberate self-harm (authors' reply). British Journal of Psychiatry, 175, 90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kerkhof, A. J. F. M., Schmidtke, A., Bille-Brahe, U., et al (eds) (1994) Attempted Suicide in Europe: Findings from the Multicentre Study on Parasuicide by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, p. 7. Leiden: DSWO Press.Google Scholar
Ogundipe, L. O. (1999) Suicide attempts v. deliberate self-harm (letter). British Journal of Psychiatry, 175, 90.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.