Number of deaths by suicide continues to increase

There were 457 deaths from suicide in 2004, an increase of 3 per cent compared to the previous year.

The figure is substantially higher than the number of people who died as a result of traffic accidents (262) or accidental falls (297).

The number of suicides was highest among young and middle-aged people aged between 15 and 24 (93 deaths), 25 and 34 (94 deaths) and 35 and 44 (98 deaths). Two suicides were also recorded among people aged 14 or younger.

While the overall suicide rate is relatively low by European standards, there is alarm among health professionals at the increasing level of suicide among young people.

The number of suicides is still lower than the late 1990s when more than 500 people died each year as a result of taking their own life.

In total, there were 28,151 deaths registered in 2004, a decrease of 672 on the 2003 figure. The 2004 total is 10.6 per cent lower than in 1995 when 31,494 deaths were registered.

This represents an annual death rate of 7 per 1,000 population, 1.7 per 1,000 population lower than in 1995.

The principal causes of death were circulatory diseases (38 per cent), malignant neoplasms (27 per cent), respiratory diseases (14 per cent) and injuries or poisonings (4 per cent).

The majority of circulatory disease deaths were linked to heart disease, while most malignant neoplasms were related to cancer of the colon, rectum and anus and lung.

Among respiratory diseases, the most common deaths were as a result of pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema and asthma.

The number of deaths among older people is also falling. There were 22,074 deaths of persons aged 65 and over registered in 2004, a decrease of 525 on the previous year. The 2004 total is 12 per cent lower than in 1995 when 25,162 deaths were registered.

Similarly, death rates for people aged 65 and over have been falling steadily from over 60 per 1,000 in 1995 to 49 per 1,000 in 2004.