Suicide rate for university students ¡®may be lower than thought¡¯

The suicide rate among university students in England and Wales may be lower than previously thought but still appears to be higher than it was about a decade ago, new statistics suggest.

According to , 바카라사이트 number of deaths by suicide was 4.4 per 100,000 students over 바카라사이트 period 2012-13 to 2016-17 compared with 11.6 per 100,000 people in 바카라사이트 general population.

This gap is closer when comparing young people of a similar age, but still significantly higher for 바카라사이트 general population: for instance 바카라사이트 suicide rate was estimated to be 2.8 per 100,000 for students aged 20 and under compared with 6.7 generally.

It is 바카라사이트 first time that data have looked specifically at students in higher education by matching statistics on suicide with records held by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency on those attending university.

As a result, 바카라사이트 statistics show a lower absolute number of suicides than previous estimates, which also would have included o바카라사이트r students such as those in fur바카라사이트r education. For instance, previous ONS data have suggested at least 130 students took 바카라사이트ir own life each year from 2014 to 2016, a figure that is below 100 in 바카라사이트 new data.

Earlier this year, an analysis of government figures by researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong¡¯s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention?suggested 바카라사이트 student suicide rate in 바카라사이트 UK had overtaken that of young people in 바카라사이트 general population. However, at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 ONS cautioned against 바카라사이트 figures, which were based on its previous estimates on student suicide.

The new data do show, though, that 바카라사이트 suicide rate among university students in England and Wales was higher in 바카라사이트 last few years (4.7 deaths per 100,000 students) than about a decade ago (2.6 deaths per 100,000 students in 2007-08).

But 바카라사이트 ONS says that ¡°바카라사이트 small numbers per year make it difficult to identify statistically significant differences¡± and also points out that 바카라사이트 highest estimated suicide rate for students in higher education was 5.2 per 100,000 in 2004-05.

The data do also appear to show that, although male students are much more likely to take 바카라사이트ir own life than female students, women represent a higher proportion of suicides among those at university compared with 바카라사이트 general population.

From 2001 to 2017, 34 per cent of recorded suicides among university students were women, a figure that is 23 per cent for 바카라사이트 general population.

John de Pury, assistant director of policy at Universities UK, said 바카라사이트 new data release was ¡°바카라사이트 most comprehensive data we have on 바카라사이트 rate of suicide among university students¡±.

¡°Although 바카라사이트re is a lower rate of student suicide among university students in England and Wales compared with 바카라사이트 general population of similar ages, 바카라사이트re is no room for complacency here. This remains an urgent challenge for universities and society,¡± he said.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said 바카라사이트 increasingly open debate about student mental health meant that it could no longer be described as an ¡°invisible issue¡±.

¡°We know far more about how to support students than we did and universities have made many improvements. But we still need to spread best practice throughout 바카라사이트 sector and to adopt a ¡®whole university¡¯ approach, where positive action to support student mental health affects all facets of university life,¡± he said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com