Journal of Public Health
Volume 33, Issue 3, 2011, Pages 385-391

Suicide survey in a London borough: Primary care and public health perspectives (Review) (Open Access)

Ougrin D.* , Banarsee R. , Dunn-Toroosian V. , Majeed A.
  • a King's College London, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, PO 85, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
  • b West London Primary Care Consortium/Applied Research Unit, Wembley Centre for Health and Care, 116 Chaplin Road, Wembley, London HA0 4UZ, United Kingdom
  • c Faculty of Health and Health Sciences, Thames Valley University, Paragon House, Boston Manor Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9GA, United Kingdom
  • d Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College, London W6 8RP, United Kingdom

Abstract

In order to achieve the national target of 20 reduction in suicide in the UK, many primary care trusts have developed local suicide prevention action plans. However, there is concern about a lack of a whole-system approach in some localities. Suicide surveys are a necessary component of any suicide reduction strategy. MethodsAll deaths by suicides and open verdicts of a multi-ethnic, socio-economically diverse London Borough's residents between February 2005 and February 2008 were identified (n = 54). Health records of the identified subjects were analysed by two researchers. ResultsThe annual rate of suicide in the study period was 6.8 per 100 000 inhabitants. Of the 54 cases of suicide in the study period, 45 had a psychiatric diagnosis and 18 were in current contact with mental health services. Hanging was the most frequent mode of suicide. Twenty-four per cent were not registered with a GP, most of whom were immigrants. Twenty-five per cent had seen their GP within a month of suicide. The rate of suicide in those born in Ireland was 17.7 per 100 000. ConclusionsSuicide survey is a feasible method of monitoring suicide, sharing data between key stakeholders and learning from the trends uncovered. © The Author 2010, Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Primary health care Public health Suicide

Index Keywords

information processing psychological aspect London Population Surveillance human middle aged statistics Suicide Aged ethnology Young Adult Humans Ireland Adolescent health services research male Emigrants and Immigrants female Aged, 80 and over Review Retrospective Studies adult migration United Kingdom retrospective study Data Collection primary health care Child health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-80052287918&doi=10.1093%2fpubmed%2ffdq094&partnerID=40&md5=cc8a2b1375f16ce6366b1fb0e1fb202c
DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdq094
ISSN: 17413842
Cited by: 20
Original Language: English