More than one in every 500 people in Ireland have self-harmed
The Harm Highest Picture File Among Younger For Self Are People Rates
The latest annual report from the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) has shown that one person in every 476 has had a self-harm episode and that the rates for self-harm are highest among younger people.
The figures, contained in the organisation's 2019 report but based on data gathered a year earlier, showed there were 12,588 presentations that year, involving 9,785 people.
Among males aged 20 to 24, one person in every 184 had self-harmed, and the rate was even more pronounced among females aged 15 to 19, at one person in every 131.
It also shows that almost half (44%) of presentations were made between 7pm-3am, with 11pm the peak time. Monday, Tuesday and Sunday had the highest number of self-harm presentations.
The report also shows that one in seven people had a repeat attendance in 2018 and while most people received an assessment in the emergency department (ED) and a follow-up recommendation after discharge, 13% left the ED before a recommendation was made.
The data is captured by the National Self-harm Registry and according to the report, "A number of specific actions were undertaken in 2019 to improve methods of data collection for the Registry. More specifically, following the Registry review, where possible, Data Registration Officers have moved to electronic means of processing data."
A comparison was made in 2019 between the number of self-harm presentations recorded by the Registry as resulting in admission to the general hospital and the number of general hospital admissions recorded in the Hospital InPatient Enquiry (HIPE) database.
"Overall, and for most hospitals there were relatively small discrepancies but the differences were notable for some hospitals," it said. "This highlighted the need for all Registry Data Registration Officers to seek to ascertain cases from HIPE data records, something which is done more now than previously."
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It also refers to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"As the company carries out its operations in University College Cork, the impact of the pandemic has necessitated significant operational changes," it said. "Whilst Covid-19 has necessitated changes to the company's set-up, almost all aspects of the research programme can continue with staff members working at home whilst some adjustments to timeframes of field-based research have been necessary."
It said there had been no financial impact on the NSRF as a result of the pandemic and funding for the running of the Registry and the agreed programme of work has been increased to €907,000 for 2020.
Last year the NSRF also co-ordinated the Suicide and Self-Harm Observatory and the Suicide Support and Information System.
*www.nsrf.ie
*www.samaritans.org / call 116 123