Male students in England and Wales more likely to kill themselves

Europe/England/Source: www.theguardian.com.

Suicide rates among university students in England and Wales have gone up slightly over the last decade, according to official statistics, which reveal that young male students are significantly more likely to kill themselves than female students.

In the 12 months to July 2017, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that 95 students killed themselves, which equates to 4.7 suicides per 100,000 students.

The ONS said that although overall suicide rates in students had gone up, they had not risen consistently and remained lower than among the general population.

The analysis is published at a time of mounting concern about student mental health, as universities report record numbers of referrals for counselling services and amid greater media awareness of suicide among students. At the University of Bristol there have been 10 student deaths in little over 18 months.Advertisement

Later this week, the universities minister Sam Gyimah is hosting a student mental health summit at the University of the West of England in Bristol, where there have been two additional student deaths in the city.

The figures, published on Monday, show no dramatic increase in the number of suicides as some feared, but those in the sector say it remains an urgent challenge for universities.

On face value, the suicide rate for 2016-17 – the latest available figures – is the same as in 2015-16, but the real figure is likely to be higher because some deaths may not yet have been registered. Researchers note it can take months or even years for a suicide to be registered by a coroner’s court, so deaths that occurred in 2017 may not be registered until significantly later.

Sarah Caul, an ONS senior researcher, said: “Today’s analysis will help to develop policies and initiatives for those at greatest risk of suicide.

“The rate of suicide in 2016-17 in higher education students was 4.7 deaths per 100,000 students. Although higher than in earlier years, the comparatively low numbers of suicides per year make it challenging to identify significant differences. 
Meanwhile, the rate for suicide in female students is significantly lower than the rate in males.”

Between 2001 and 2017, 1,330 students died from suicide, of which 878 (66%) were men and 452 (34%) women. More than four-fifths of the deaths (83%) were among undergraduates doing their first degree, which accounted for 1,109 deaths, while postgraduates accounted for 17% (221 deaths).

There were also differences between students of different ethnic backgrounds, though the ONS urged caution about drawing any conclusions because the numbers involved are so small. White students had a rate of 5.1 deaths per 100,000, compared with 2.7 for those of black ethnicity and 5.4 for students with Asian ethnicity. Those classified as “other” had a rate of 5.9 deaths per 100,000.

Over the period examined, the suicide rate among university students was at its highest in the 12 months up to July 2005, with a rate of 5.2 deaths per 100,000 students, which then fell to 3.2 deaths per 100,000 students the following year and dipped further to 2.6 in the 12 months ending July 2008.

John de Pury, the assistant director of policy at Universities UK, said: “This new release is the most comprehensive data we have on the rate of suicide among university students.

“Although there is a lower rate of student suicide among university students in England and Wales compared with the general population of similar ages, there is no room for complacency here. This remains an urgent challenge for universities and society.”

Louis Appleby, who leads the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, said the figures were the most accurate to date as they were linked to national records at the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

He said the figures were reassuring because they showed students were not at high risk and that rates remained low. But he added: “It does look as if the rates may be going up in the last 10 years. It’s difficult to be certain about that because they are relatively small numbers.

“Ninety five students died in the most recent year. It’s difficult to get away from the human tragedy of that. The message to universities is just as it was always: they need to do more.”

On the higher rates of suicide among male students, he said: “Every suicide study has found found high rates in men. The difference is not unusual. It’s what you would expect in every population.”

Source of the notice: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jun/25/male-students-in-england-and-wales-more-likely-to-kill-themselves