Call To Act Over Rising Suicides In Poor Areas

Deprivation is driving a rise in suicides in the poorest parts of Scotland, research released yesterday suggests. A new study focused on the biggest clusters of suicides in the past 20 years, finding that east Glasgow was persistently the worst-affected area.

The researchers said more focus had to be given to targeting suicide-prevention efforts in the most deprived communities. The suicide rate in Scotland is the highest in the UK – almost double the rate in England. Numbers are starting to fall, but experts say it is too early to know if the trend will continue.

The study, by St Andrews University, focused on the years 1980-82, 1990-92 and 1999-2001. During this time, suicides among those aged 15 to 44 increased significantly. In 1980-82 there were 932 suicides in this age group, rising to 1,241 a decade later and 1,549 in 1999-2001.

Researchers Daniel Exeter and Paul Boyle, writing in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, analysed the data to find where the biggest clusters of suicides occurred. In 1980-82, the biggest suicide cluster was found in Springburn in east Glasgow, with 92 deaths. In 1990-92, the centre of the cluster was also in Springburn, rising to 159 deaths. And by 1999-2001, the biggest cluster moved slightly north-west to Maryhill with 245 deaths. The number of suicides in the cluster was two and a half times greater in 1999-2001 than it was in 1980-82.

The St Andrews researchers said: “We believe our present study strengthens the argument for targeting deprived communities in suicide-prevention strategies.”

The Executive’s Choose Life strategy, which started work in 2002, is aiming to cut suicides by 20 per cent by 2013. Caroline Farquhar, of Choose Life, said: “Since we launched, every local authority area in Scotland has introduced, and is implementing, a local suicide-prevention plan.”