Mortality risk following self-harm or suicide ideation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mortality risk following presentation with self-harm or suicide/self-harm ideation
IRAS ID
272795
Contact name
Aideen Maguire
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Death by suicide is a major public health concern, with over a million completed suicides reported every year worldwide. Northern Ireland (NI) has the highest rates of suicide and self-harm (SH) across the UK and Ireland, with SH affecting 373/100,000 of the population compared to an estimated 280/100,000 in England and 206/100,000 in Ireland. Our understanding of the predictors of suicide is not well advanced. Some studies suggest that suicidal behaviours such as SH and suicide ideation (SI) are important predictors of completed suicide, however, not everyone who self-harms or reports suicide ideation goes on to die by suicide.
Few longitudinal studies exist to inform on the long-term outcomes of SH and SI after their initial presentation. However, Northern Ireland (NI) is unique as it has a population-wide Registry of Self-Harm, recording all presentations of SH and SI to all Emergency Departments across NI since 2012 (since 2008 in the Western Trust). The proposed project will link this data to death records, mental health inpatient records, hospital admission data and prescribing data to generate a unique dataset of health and social information to achieve a better understanding of the risk for subsequent mortality following presentation with SH or SI. Understanding the complex association between SH, SI and risk of completed suicide is vital in helping to identify those most at risk and who may benefit from interventions to reduce deaths by suicide. The findings of this study will therefore help inform clinical practice and the development of evidence-based suicide prevention strategies.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0203
Date of REC Opinion
19 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion