Increasing rates of self-harm among children, adolescents and young adults: a 10-year national registry study 2007-2016

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files
Date
2018-05-02
Authors
Griffin, Eve
McMahon, Elaine M.
McNicholas, Fiona
Corcoran, Paul
Perry, Ivan J.
Arensman, Ella
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Verlag
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Purpose: Rates of hospital-treated self-harm are highest among young people. The current study examined trends in rates of self-harm among young people in Ireland over a 10-year period, as well as trends in self-harm methods. Methods: Data from the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland on presentations to hospital emergency departments (EDs) following self-harm by those aged 10–24 years during the period 2007–2016 were included. We calculated annual self-harm rates per 100,000 by age, gender and method of self-harm. Poisson regression models were used to examine trends in rates of self-harm. Results: The average person-based rate of self-harm among 10–24-year-olds was 318 per 100,000. Peak rates were observed among 15–19-year-old females (564 per 100,000) and 20–24-year-old males (448 per 100,000). Between 2007 and 2016, rates of self-harm increased by 22%, with increases most pronounced for females and those aged 10–14 years. There were marked increases in specific methods of self-harm, including those associated with high lethality. Conclusions: The findings indicate that the age of onset of self-harm is decreasing. Increasing rates of self-harm, along with increases in highly lethal methods, indicate that targeted interventions in key transition stages for young people are warranted.
Description
Keywords
Self-harm , Young people , Epidemiology , Republic-of-Ireland , Mental-health , Suicide , England
Citation
Griffin, E., McMahon, E., McNicholas, F., Corcoran, P., Perry, I. J. and Arensman, E. (2018) 'Increasing rates of self-harm among children, adolescents and young adults: a 10-year national registry study 2007–2016', Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 53(7), pp. 663-671. doi: 10.1007/s00127-018-1522-1
Copyright
© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1522-1