On the occasion of the 23rd National Suicide Prevention Day this Tuesday, February 5, Public Health France reveals its figures for 2017. In its Weekly epidemiological bulletin (BEH), the health agency reveals that more than 7% of 18-75 year olds have already attempted suicide during their lifetime, i.e. more than three million French people. Most of them tried to take their own lives between the ages of 15 and 19. Indeed, among suicide attempts among women, 30% took place at this age, against 19.5% among men.
Women, more likely to take action
The health agency interviewed more than 25,000 people aged 18 to 75. And among those polled, more women said they had tried to act out (9.9%) than men (4.4%). Yet more men die from suicide. “One of the explanatory factors would be the use of more lethal means among men (firearms, hanging) resulting, despite a lower number of attempts, more deaths than among women”, develops the authors of the BEH.
Suicide was the cause of 8,885 deaths in mainland France in 2014, including 6,661 men and 2,224 women, according to figures published last year by the National Suicide Observatory (ONS). But the new barometer of Public Health France does not provide new figures on mortality. It focuses on suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Difficult episodes
Thereby, “Being a woman, difficult financial situations, being single, divorced or widowed, inactivity at work and traumatic events are associated with suicidal behavior”, concludes the BEH. Have experienced a “Characterized depressive episode” in the year is also the main factor linked to suicidal thoughts. Over the past twelve months, one in 20 (4.7%) has thought, and only thought, of taking action.
Nevertheless, the authors recognize an important limitation to the study: the population of less than 18 years was not questioned. However, adolescents are particularly concerned, “Especially young girls aged 15-19 for whom the rate of hospitalization for attempted suicide is the highest”. Asked by AFP, the Phare Enfants-Parents association, having set itself the task of preventing discomfort and suicide among young people, deplores that the latter “No longer be the subject of prevention and public information campaigns”.
“Identifying vulnerable and high-risk people by making it possible to intervene upstream of the suicide crisis is one of the keys to the success of a suicide prevention policy, such as the identification and management of depression,” maintaining the link with people who have made a [tentative de suicide] “, concludes Public Health France. France still has one of the highest suicide rates in Europe, the agency said.
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