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  • Release of NRS statistics on deaths by probable suicide

    Created: 08/08/2022, Updated: 10/08/2022
    News/Events Category: General News


    National Records of Scotland (NRS) has released the annual data on deaths by probable suicide for 2021.  Good news for Fife is it shows a drop in numbers from 2020, however this comes with the caveat that numbers fluctuate year on year and we really need to keep an eye on the trends.

    At a national level, the overall numbers are lower than last year. The five year trend continues to indicate that people living in the most deprived areas are three times at greater risk of dying by suicide compared to those living in the least deprived areas and males account for three quarters of all deaths by suicide.

    Key points for Scotland:

    • There were 753 probable suicides registered in Scotland in 2021, which is a decrease from 805 in 2020.
    • Three-quarters (75.03%) of people who died by suicide in 2021 were male (565 males, 188 females).
    • The highest crude rate of suicide for both males and females occurred in the 45 – 54 age group in 2021.
    • There is a known link between deprivation and suicide. The probable suicide rate (both crude and age-sex standardised) in the period 2017 - 2021 was over three times higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas.

    For Fife, the key points to note are as follows:

    • There were 40 probable suicides registered in Fife in 2021, which is a decrease from 66 in 2020.
    • 27 probable suicides in Fife in 2021 were males, a decrease from 54 in 2020
    • 13 probable suicides in Fife in 2021 were female, a slight increase from 12 in 2020
    • Fife continues to sit just below the Scottish National Average for total suicides rates.  Scotland EASR (European Age-Sex-Standardised Rates) 14.1 per 100,000 population and Fife EASR 13.8 per 100,000 population.
    • Fife continues to sit just below the Scottish National Average for male suicide rates. Scotland EASR 21.2 per 100,000 population and Fife 21.1 per 100,000 per population
    • Fife continues to sit just below the Scottish National Average for female suicide rates.  Scotland EASR 7.0 per 100,000 population and Fife 6.5 per 100,000 per population

    The full report can be found here.




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