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Suicide and Parasuicide Among Further Education Students in Edinburgh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

S. D. Platt*
Affiliation:
MRC Unit for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry, University Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Momingside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, Scotland

Abstract

During the period 1979–1982 the incidence of suicide and parasuicide for students aged 15–24 years was found to be lower than that of others of the same age in Edinburgh. A comparison of student parasuicides with matched non-student parasuicides shows similar parasuicide repetition rates, but some differences in respect of precipitants (twice as many students reporting no major event prior to the episode), agent of poisoning (analgesics more commonly used by students; hypnotics, tranquillisers and barbiturates, by controls), and social and clinical characteristics (a greater proportion of controls reporting parasuicide in the family, a criminal record and being the victim of violence).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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