Suicide rates in Irish counties

Objectives: This study was designed to explore the social correlates of the country suicide rate in Ireland. Method: Suicide rates for Irish counties were calculated for the period 197 8-1984, a seven year period centred around the 1981 Census. Results: The county suicide rates were positively associated with death rat es and the percentage of elderly population and negatively with change in p opulation, the birth rate and the percentage of the population under the ag e of 15. Conclusions: There is good evidence to suggest that the official suicide ra te in Ireland has been underestimated in the past. This underestimation may not have been uniform across all of the counties.