Epidemiology

WHO estimates that around one million people commit suicide every year, that is, one death every 40 seconds.

• it is the 15th most common cause of death worldwide with 804,000 deaths in 2012, accounting for 1.4% of deaths and an average population rate of 11.4 per 100 000
• suicide attempt is three to four times more common in females than in males, however men are four times more likely to complete an attempt.
  • men tend to use violent methods (firearms and hanging) while women use more passive methods (poisoning) (1)

In England:

• data published by the Office for National Statistics showed that in 2024 (2):
  
  • there were 6,190 suicides registered in England and Wales (11.4 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people) in 2024; a similar rate to 2023, with 11.3 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people.
  • for males, the suicide rate in England and Wales remained relatively unchanged in 2024 at 17.6 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people, compared with 17.4 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people in 2023
  • the suicide rate remained stable for females at 5.7 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people in 2024 and in 2023.
  • the age-specific suicide rate was highest for males aged 50 to 54 years (27.5 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people), and for females aged 45 to 49 years (7.9 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people).
  • in 2024, the suicide rate in Wales (15.7 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people) was higher than in England (11.1 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people), this was an increase in Wales with the rate in 2023 being 14.0 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people.
  • London had the lowest suicide rate in 2024 of any region in England (8.3 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people); the highest rate was in the North East (15.1 suicide deaths registered per 100,000 people).
  • those aged 50 to 54 years had the highest suicide rate again in 2024, at 17.0 deaths registered per 100,000 people. This age group have had the highest rate for suicide deaths registered each year since 2021.
  • the most common method of suicide in England and Wales continued to be hanging, strangulation and suffocation, which accounted for 56.6% of all suicides in 2024 (3,504 deaths)

Notes:

• proportional mortality ratio (PMR) is a ratio of how more or less likely a death in a given occupation is to be from suicide as opposed to other causes, than a death of someone of the same age and gender in England and Wales as a whole

The majority of suicides are solitary and private, but some may be caused by a pact between people to die together.

Reference:

1. Bolton JM, Gunnell D, Turecki G.Suicide risk assessment and intervention in people with mental illness. BMJ. 2015;351:h4978
2. Department of Health. Statistical update on suicide. 2024