Influence of cohort effects on patterns of suicide in England and Wales, 1950-1999
Journal
The British Journal of Psychiatry
Date Issued
February 2003
DOI
10.1192/bjp.182.2.164
Abstract
Background: Age- and gender-specific
suicide ratesin England and Wales have
changed considerably since 1950.
Aims: To assess whether cohort effects
underlie some of these changes.
Method: Graphical displays to assess
age-period-cohort effects on suicide for
the period 1950-1999.
Results: Successive male birth cohorts
born after 1940 carried with them, as they
aged, a greater risk of suicide than their
predecessors although this effect
diminished for the 1975 and 1980 birth
cohorts.There was less clear evidence of
any increased risk of suicide in post-war
female birth cohorts.
Conclusions: Succeeding generations
of males born in the post-war years have
experienced increasing rates of suicide at
all ages, an observation in keeping with
patterns seen in other countries. If these
trends continue into middle- and old-age
they will lead to a great increase in overall
male suicide rates.
suicide ratesin England and Wales have
changed considerably since 1950.
Aims: To assess whether cohort effects
underlie some of these changes.
Method: Graphical displays to assess
age-period-cohort effects on suicide for
the period 1950-1999.
Results: Successive male birth cohorts
born after 1940 carried with them, as they
aged, a greater risk of suicide than their
predecessors although this effect
diminished for the 1975 and 1980 birth
cohorts.There was less clear evidence of
any increased risk of suicide in post-war
female birth cohorts.
Conclusions: Succeeding generations
of males born in the post-war years have
experienced increasing rates of suicide at
all ages, an observation in keeping with
patterns seen in other countries. If these
trends continue into middle- and old-age
they will lead to a great increase in overall
male suicide rates.
Subjects
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