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Suicide rates in Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. Clarke-Finnegan  and
T. J. Fahy
M. Clarke-Finnegan*
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Regional Hospital, Galway, Republic of Ireland
T. J. Fahy
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Regional Hospital, Galway, Republic of Ireland
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Mary Clarke-Finnegan, University Department of Psychiatry, Regional Hospital, Galway, Republic of Ireland.
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Synopsis

From a total of 410 post-mortem examinations on Gaiway residents deceased in 1978 the examining pathologist and 3 psychiatrists were in close agreement in 22 cases that death was by suicide. These figures were extrapolated, and a Republic of Ireland minimum true rate of suicide was computed which was 3 times greater than the official reported rate. Irish suicide data were found not to be dependent on coroners' reports as is commonly believed. It is concluded that under-reporting reduces Irish suicide rates to a far greater extent than has been supposed. The substitution of clinical for legalistic methods of recording suicide data is recommended.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , May 1983 , pp. 385 - 391
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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