Irish Probable Suicide Deaths Study

The Irish Probable Suicide Deaths Study presents information on probable suicide deaths in Ireland, for a four year period, from 2015 to 2018.  The aims of the study were to: improve understanding of the characteristics of people who have died by probable suicide; identify risk factors for probable suicide; and inform the planning, implementation and evaluation of suicide prevention measures.  In Ireland, the current legal test for a Coroner’s verdict of suicide includes a requirement that the self-killing and intention are proved ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’.  However, this study also includes additional deaths that are ‘more likely than not’ to have been death by suicide - that is, on the ‘balance of probabilities’.  Thus, this study has captured, analysed and presented more deaths than are typically included in official suicide statistics in Ireland.  It also provides much more in-depth information on the characteristics of the people who have died.  As 76% of the probable suicide deaths were men, this report will be of interest to anyone who works in this field.  Find out more at: https://tinyurl.com/mrze2544