Youth suicide in Norway, 1990-1992: a comparison between children and adolescents completing suicide and age- and gender-matched controls.
In Norway 1990-1992, the suicide rate was 18.6 per 100,000 individuals per year for boys 15-19 years old and 6.3 for girls, and for 10-14 year olds the rate was 2.7 for boys and 0.5 for girls. Comparison of all completed suicides (N = 129) with gender- and age-matched control subjects identified depression (OR = 19.9; CI = 11.2, 35.5), disruptive disorders (OR = 6.0; CI = 3.1, 11.4), and previous suicidal behavior (OR = 3.4, CI = 2.0, 5.6) as main risk factors. Of the suicide completers, 74% had mental disorders. Suicidal intent was previously expressed by 48%, but few (24%) had received treatment, despite well-developed health services. A history of disruptive disorders (17%) and substance abuse (10%) were less frequently found than in previous studies, but binge drinking may contribute to the adolescent suicide rate.
Grøholt
B
B
Department Group of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Norway.
Ekeberg
O
O
Wichstrøm
L
L
Haldorsen
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*