Statistical Publication Notice

7 August 2009

Suicide Statistics 2008

INTRODUCTION

Suicide is a leading cause of mortality among young people and Scotland's suicide rate is higher than in other parts of the UK. Choose Life, Scotland's national suicide prevention strategy and action plan, was launched in December 2002.

This release includes annually updated numbers and rates of suicide at Scotland, NHS board and local authority level and by deprivation decile.

KEY POINTS

• There were 843 deaths by suicide in Scotland in 2008. This equates to an age-standardised rate of 16.1 per 100,000 population.
• Based on three-year rolling averages there was a 10% fall in suicide rates between 2000-02 and 2006-08. These rates have shown little change since 2003-05 although rates in men have increased marginally in the latest 3-year period.
• In 2008 the suicide rate for males continues to be around three times that for females.
• Suicide rates increased with increasing deprivation, with rates in the most deprived areas of Scotland significantly higher than the rate for Scotland generally.
• Between 1999-03 and 2004-08, the suicide rate decreased in 13 of the 14 NHS Boards and in 26 of the 32 local authorities.
  

INTERPRETATION

The term suicide is used to refer to deaths from intentional self harm and from events of undetermined intent.

It is important to note that annual changes are based on relatively small numbers and therefore are subject to fluctuation. As a result, meaningful changes in trend require consideration of longer time periods (i.e. three-years combined at national level and five-years combined at NHS board and local authority level and for deprivation deciles).

Age- and sex- standardised rates take account of differences in the age and gender structure of the population at different times. This is important as suicide rates vary by age and gender.

DETAILED FINDINGS

In 2004-2008 suicide rates in men were significantly higher in Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Highland NHS Boards, and significantly lower in Lothian and Forth Valley NHS Boards, than in Scotland as a whole. Within local authorities, rates were significantly higher in Glasgow City, Highland and West Dunbartonshire, and significantly lower in Aberdeenshire, East Lothian, Falkirk, and City of Edinburgh, than for Scotland as a whole.

In 2004-2008 suicide rates in women were significantly higher in Greater Glasgow & Clyde NHS Board and significantly lower in Forth Valley and Grampian NHS Boards, than in Scotland as a whole. Within local authorities rates were significantly higher in Dundee City, Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire, and significantly lower in Falkirk, Clackmannanshire and Perth & Kinross, than for Scotland as a whole.

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MAIN CONTACTS

Diane Stockton;
ISD ScotPHO Lead
0131 275 6817
Diane.Stockton@nhs.net

Cheryl Heeley;
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 6373
CherylHeeley@nhs.net

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PRE-RELEASE ACCESS

Under terms of the "Pre-Release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008", ISD are obliged to publish information on those receiving Pre-Release Access ("Pre-Release Access" refers to statistics in their final form prior to publication). The standard maximum Pre-Release Access is five working days. Shown below are details of those receiving standard Pre-Release Access and, separately, those receiving extended Pre-Release Access.

Standard (five day) Pre-Release Access

Scottish Government Health Department (Analytical Services Division)
NHS Board Chief Executives
NHS Board Communication leads
Choose Life (NHS Health Scotland)
(Note: pre release access to NHS board Chief Executives and Communications leads was inadvertently provided 7 days prior to publication)

Extended Pre-Release Access

Scottish Government Health Department (Analytical Services Division)
This extended Pre-Release Access is given to a small number of named individuals in the Scottish Government Health Department (Analytical Services Division). This Pre-Release Access is for the sole purpose of enabling that department to gain an understanding of the statistics prior to briefing others in Scottish Government (during the period of standard Pre-Release Access).

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HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION

Last Published: August 2008
Next Due: August 2010
Data available since: Most of the data are included in previous time series, in many cases back to 1982