The highest rate of self-harm occurred in the first year of the pandemic, peaking at ages 15-19 for women and 25-29 for men.
Concerns that the pandemic would lead to a surge in self-harm did not materialize in 2020 and declined slightly, but during the four-month lockdown from January to April 2021, more people were treated in hospital. self-harm rate increased by 45%. , dropped to 19% in May as restrictions were eased.
According to the National Self-Harm Registry’s annual report, 2019’s peak rates were among men aged 20-24, but this trend of higher rates among young people is consistent with previous years. .
In 2020, there were 12,553 self-harm presentations in hospitals involving 9,550 people. In 2020, the rate of hospital admission for self-harm was 200 per 100,000 population, 3 percentage points lower than in 2019. There was a slight increase in the percentage of people returning to hospital for repeated self-harm, up to 24 percent in 2019, compared with 22 percent. .
According to the report, as in previous years, intentional drug overdoses were the most common method of self-harm, and were involved in nearly two-thirds of cases. In his quarter of the presentation, we found that the person is currently employed by HSE Mental Health Services. 1 in 20 of them attended counseling or an addiction service. Another 3 percent of cases were homeless.
Dr. Paul Corcoran of the National Foundation for Suicide Research said:
“Thankfully, Covid-19 did not lead to an overall increase. 1 percent lower than the same period in 2019.
“The rate of self-harm in hospitals has been impacted by the Covid-19 wave and associated lockdowns.
These are the short-term effects of Covid-19 on hospital self-harm. It is important to assess long-term effects and consider a wider range of suicidal behaviors. ”
Professor Ella Ahrensman of the School of Public Health said, “The continued high rate of self-harm among children and adolescents is an indication of the prevalence of self-harm among school staff, parents, and peers. It emphasizes the urgency of identifying risks early.
“To achieve this, we need more widespread implementation of mental health promotion and suicide prevention programs for children and adolescents.”
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