Suicide statistics were speculative

YOUR front page report (December 12) headlined ‘Two people take own lives each day’, both from my perspective and that of the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF), contained too much speculation and did not include any systematic evidence for the statement that “up to 700 people died by suicide across the State last year”.

It was also unfortunate that the report incorrectly cited research by the NSRF which has not published findings that indicate “up to 50 suicides were not recorded last year because the relevant documentation was not filled out by the gardaí”.

In fact, the Central Statistics Office has not even published the definitive suicide statistics for 2007 based on year of occurrence. This indicates again that the figure of 700 suicides in 2007 is based on speculation only.

However, I agree with your accompanying editorial in that it is important to determine the true figure for suicides. The NSRF has been commissioned by the National Office for Suicide Prevention to start a project with these aims:

1. To improve provision of support to the bereaved.

2. To better define the incidence and pattern of suicide in Ireland.

3. To identify and better understand the causes of suicide, and

4. To identify and improve the response to clusters of suicide, filicide-suicide and familicide.

This project will be conducted in close collaboration with coroners, healthcare professionals and bereaved family members, and there will be a structural link with bereavement support services.

We are hopeful that this new multi-disciplinary project will enable us systematically to address these four key objectives and will provide us with answers to the question about the true figure of suicides.

Suicide is a complex phenomenon and needs to be addressed in a systematic way. Speculative reports may bring us further away from the truth and may contribute to the sensationalising of suicide, which is not helpful for people bereaved by it and for professionals who are working in this field.

Dr Ella Arensman

Director of Research

National Suicide Research Foundation

Perrott Ave

College Road

Cork