RELATION BETWEEN ATTEMPTED-SUICIDE AND SUICIDE RATES AMONG YOUNG-PEOPLE IN EUROPE

Study objective-To determine if there are associations between rates o f suicide and attempted suicide in 15-24 year olds in different countr ies in Europe. Design-Attempted suicide rates were based on data colle cted in centres in Europe between 1989 and 1992 as part of the WHO/EUR O Multicentre Study of Parasuicide. Comparison was made with both nati onal suicide rates and local suicide rates for the areas in which the attempted suicide monitoring centres are based.Setting-15 centres in 1 3 European countries. Patients-Young people aged 15-24 years who had t aken overdoses or deliberately injured themselves and been identified in health care facilities. Main results-There were positive correlatio ns (Spearman rank order) between rates of attempted suicide and suicid e rates in both sexes. The correlations only reached statistical signi ficance for male subjects: regional suicide rates, r = 0.65, p < 0.02; national suicide rates, r < 0.02. Conclusions-Rates of attempted suic ide and suicide in the young covary. The recent increase in attempted suicide rates in young male subjects in several European countries cou ld herald a further increase in suicide rates.