Trends in Suicide Rate for England and Wales 1975–80

1984 ◽  
Vol 144 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. G. McClure

SummaryThe suicide rate in England and Wales has increased annually in the period 1975 to 1980. The increase has occurred in both sexes, but has been greater for males. There has been a decrease in suicide by poisoning with solid or liquid substances (including overdoses) and a marked increase in poisoning by vehicle exhaust gas. The rate of hanging, strangulation and suffocation has also increased substantially: taken together (ICD E953) these now form the most common method of suicide in males. Statistics for ‘undetermined’ and ‘accidental’ death have been examined, and indicate that the increase in the official suicide rate represents a real increase in suicides during this period.

2001 ◽  
Vol 178 (5) ◽  
pp. 469-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. G. McClure

BackgroundSuicide rates for England and Wales have been decreasing recently, but rates for young adult males remain high.AimsTo review changes in suicide rates for children and adolescents in England and Wales between 1970 and 1998.MethodRates for suicide, ‘accidental’ death by causes similar to suicide and ‘undetermined’ death for 10–14- and 15–19-year-olds are calculated between 1970 and 1998 using suicide data and estimated mid-year populations obtained from the Office for National Statistics.ResultsThere has been a substantial increase in suicide rate between the 1970s and the 1990s for males aged 15–19 years. This remains true even when ‘undetermined’ and ‘accidental’ death rates for causes similar to suicide are examined. The increase was associated with an increase in self-poisoning with vehicle exhaust gas in the 1980s and an increase in hanging which has continued into the 1990s. Although there was a slight decrease in the official suicide rate for females aged 15–19 years, ‘undetermined’ deaths increased. There is no indication of a major change in suicide rate in 10–14-year-olds.ConclusionsThe substantial increase in suicide rate in 15–19-year-old males may indicate increased psychosocial stress, particularly affecting this group.


1994 ◽  
Vol 165 (4) ◽  
pp. 510-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. G. McClure

BackgroundFollowing reports of recent increases in adult male suicides in England and Wales, suicide rates for children and adolescents are reviewed.MethodBy using estimated mid-year populations for five-year age bands, the suicide rates for 10–14 year-olds and 15–19 year-olds are calculated between 1960–1990. The same method is used to obtain rates for ‘undetermined’ death and ‘accidental’ death by causes comparable to suicide.ResultsThe only group to show an increase in suicide rate since the 1970s has been males aged 15–19 years. This increase persists even when ‘undetermined’ and ‘accidental’ death rates for causes similar to suicide are examined. The increase is associated with an increase in hanging and self-poisoning with vehicle exhaust gas.ConclusionsThe increase in suicide rate in 15–19 year-old males may indicate increased psychosocial stress, particularly affecting this age/gender group.


1987 ◽  
Vol 150 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. G. McClure

An investigation of the suicide rate in the decade 1975–1984 in England and Wales revealed an increase in rate for males of all ages, and a small decrease for young females. The increase for males has been greatest in the 25–54 years group. There has been a decrease in the number of suicides by poisoning with solids and liquids (including overdoses) for both sexes. Rates for poisoning by vehicle exhaust gas and by hanging, strangulation and suffocation have increased substantially during this period. In males, suicides by these methods now exceed those due to poisoning by solids and liquids.


1989 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas R. Chambers ◽  
John G. Harvey

The authors have calculated the suicide rate per million for individual causes of death in the Inner North London Coroner's jurisdiction and also a composite rate for all methods of self-destruction. These have been compared with the rates for England and Wales in the years 1979–1985 inclusive. Also calculated has been a total ‘non-accidental’ death rate comprising all deaths by self-destructive behaviour. For certain causes the two rates are similar but for the remainder there are wide differences. The effect of the law relating to suicide verdicts has been described and its effects discussed.


1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul H McCrea

AbstractObjective: The trends in suicide in Northern Ireland over a 70 year period were examined with respect to sex, age and method used, and then compared with rates of unemployment and homicide.Method: The records in the office of the registrar general in Belfast were examined to obtain data. Unemployment figures were obtained from the Department of Economic Development.Results: Suicide is increasing in Northern Ireland and particularly in young men (aged 34 and under). There is a relation to unemployment although it is not felt to be directly causal. Men prefer more violent methods although vehicle exhaust gas is popular. A large number of women still choose drowning.Conclusions: Despite all initiatives, the suicide rate is increasing in Northern Ireland, in common with many European countries. It represents a major health care issue. Measures of a social or political nature may have more effect than health care advances in reducing the rate of suicide.


2000 ◽  
Vol 176 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. G. McClure

BackgroundMethods of suicide and suicide rates in England and Wales have fluctuated considerably since the 1960s.AimsTo review the changes that have occurred in suicide rates in England and Wales between 1960 and 1997.MethodSuicide rates, derived from total annual suicides and the estimated annual resident population, were obtained from the Office for National Statistics.ResultsSuicide rates decreased in both genders between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s. The rate for males then increased between 1975 and 1990, while the rate for females continued to fall. Between 1990 and 1997, the rate decreased for males and females in all age groups, particularly for those using motor vehicle exhaust gas; the latter finding is associated with increasing use of catalytic converters.ConclusionsFollowing the increase in suicide among males until 1990 there was a decrease for both genders between 1990 and 1997, consistent with the ‘Health of the Nation’ target.


2003 ◽  
Vol 183 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emad Salib

BackgroundThe tragic events of 11 September 2001 and televised scenes of the terrorists' homicidal and suicidal acts could have had an impact on the behaviour of some people, who harbour suicidal ideation or homicidal tendencies.AimsTo assess the effect of 11 September 2001 on the rate of suicide and homicide in England and Wales.MethodAnalysis of the number of suicides (ICD–9 codes: E950–E959), undetermined injury deaths (E980–E989) and homicides (E960–E969) in England and Wales in the 12 weeks before and after 11 September 2001 and during a similar period in the previous two years.ResultsThe number of suicides reported in the month of September 2001 was significantly lower than other months in the same year and any September of the previous 22 years in England and Wales. A suicide reduction in men, regardless of age, occurred in the week starting Tuesday 11 September 2001. A reduction in female suicide occurred during the four weeks following the attack. There was no evidence of a similar effect on homicide.ConclusionsThe tragic events of 11 September 2001 appear to have had a brief but significant inverse effect on suicide. The finding of this study supports Durkheim's theory that periods of external threat create group integration within society and lower the suicide rate through the impact on social cohesion.


2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasunori Iwakiri ◽  
Hirotaka Kanno ◽  
Hiroyuki Koyama

Author(s):  
Zhuoying Jiang ◽  
Xiong (Bill) Yu

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a widely used photocatalyst that can oxidize motor vehicle exhaust, for example, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons, and sulfur dioxide, under the irradiation of sunlight. It has been reported that nano-scale TiO2 particles can be effectively used to modify the concrete-asphalt pavement, and make it as a photocatalytic pavement. However, the pure TiO2 additive limits its absorption spectrum to the ultraviolet region, which only occupies a small portion of sunlight irradiance. To increase the utilization of the full spectrum of sunlight, it has been demonstrated that doping TiO2 with substances such as Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), or metal can reduce the band-gap and extend the threshold of the absorption spectrum to the visible light region. Therefore, doped-TiO2 has a better photocatalytic performance under sunlight irradiation. This paper conducted computational simulation of the kinetics of photocatalytic pavement to quantify the efficiency of doped-TiO2 embedded pavement in reducing exhaust gas from motor vehicles. A three-dimensional model is developed on a section of local road with doped-TiO2 embedded pavement. The effects of doped-TiO2 concentration, daylight conditions, and traffic flow conditions on the removal of NOx and CO were studied. The results indicate that the pavement with doped-TiO2 coating is effective to remove CO and NOx under different traffic density and daylight intensity conditions. Compared with UV activated TiO2, visible-light-activated doped-TiO2 features significantly higher removal efficiency of poisonous exhaustive gas including NOx and CO.


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