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 thus 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. In fact, among female suicide attempts, 30% took place at this age, compared to 19.5% among men.
Women, more likely to take action
The health agency interviewed more than 25,000 people between the ages of 18 and 75. And among those surveyed, women were more likely to report having tried to take action (9.9%) than men (4.4%). Yet more men are dying from suicide. “One of the explanatory factors would be the use of more lethal means in men (firearms, hanging) leading, despite a lower number of attempts, to more deaths than in 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 from 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, professional inactivity and traumatic events are associated with suicidal behavior”, concludes the BEH. have lived a “characterized depressive episode” in the year is also the main factor linked to suicidal thoughts. Over the past twelve months, one person in 20 (4.7%) has already thought, and only thought, of taking action.
Nevertheless, the authors recognize an important limit to the study: the population under 18 was not questioned. However, adolescents are particularly affected, “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, which has set itself the task of preventing ill-being and suicide among young people, deplores that the latter “not be the subject of prevention campaigns and public information”.
“Identifying vulnerable and high-risk people by allowing intervention upstream of the suicidal 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 points out.
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