NRW High suicide rate in the elderly

NRW: suicide rate in the elderly in NRW is well above average

17/10/2014

According to the Statistisches Landesamt IT.NRW, the suicide rate among older people in North Rhine-Westphalia is well above the national average. On average, the suicide rate is 10 per 100 000 inhabitants. In older people, however, it is almost twice to three times as high. For example, seniors aged 17 and over have 17-27 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. The age group of 55-74 year olds, however, was below that of the 45-54 year olds. In general, men make up a significantly larger proportion of the suicide rate. On average, more than twice as many men were killed than women in 2013.

Total numbers unchanged
Compared with the previous year, the suicide rate was roughly constant, well below that of 2011 (-3.1%) and 2010 (-4.9%). In 2007, the rate was lowest at 1430. According to it.nrw.de, the peak in 1995 was 2,107 suicides. The most frequently selected types of suicide were therefore hanging, strangulation and suffocation (about 41%). Thereafter, drug-related drug or alcohol poisoning (12.7%). Further statistically relevant suicidal causes were falls (8.7%) and moving objects such as trains (7.6%), so it.nrw.de. (Jp)

Image: D. Braun